The Chairman of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA), Eltigani Seisi Ateem, called on the African Development Bank Group President, Donald Kaberuka, on February 14, 2013 in Tunis. According to Ateem, the African Development Bank Group will champion the upcoming high-profile Donor Pledging Conference for Darfur in Doha in early April. He expressed the need for the Bank's technical assistance to DRA.

The purpose of the visit was to inform President Kaberuka on the latest developments in Sudan, with focus on Darfur, and to discuss sustainable development opportunities with the Bank Group. Sharing his vision on the progress made in Darfur, since the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) in July 14, 2011, Ateem focused on the consolidation of peace and transition from humanitarian to development activities.

At the end of the meeting, Ateem expressed satisfaction about his discussions with the Bank President and the Bank's commitment to promote the Donor Pledging Conference for Darfur in Doha, Qatar. "AfDB is the cream of our crop. Our relations are excellent and we commend its support to our country," he affirmed, in the presence of the Governor for South Darfur State, Hammad Ismail Hammad; the AfDB Executive Director for Sudan, El Fatih Mohamed Khalid; the Ambassador for Sudan in Tunisia, Fadl Abdalla Fadl Idris; and AfDB Vice-President Zondo Sakala.

The Bank continues to engage strategically in Darfur, focusing on creating the conditions for peace, macroeconomic resilience and stability in the country. Currently, its intervention focus is on policy dialogue, capacity building and targeted operations, financed through resources that are unaffected by Sudan's non-accrual status including the Fragile States Facility (FSF), the African Water Facility, the Emergency Relief Fund and bilateral Trust Funds.