I. The Department includes the following: Countries under the department's direct concern: Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Comoros Countries under the department's indirect concern South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Kenya The Department works under the Arab League's Council resolutions: Peace and development support in the Republic of Sudan Support efforts towards peace in Somalia Support for the Federal Republic of Comoros Peaceful resolution of Djibouti -Eritrea conflict
II. About the new Department The establishment of this department is a part of the Secretary-General's vision to operationalize the Arab League's role in that region of the Arab world, so that the Secretariat General can gradually uphold the Arab commonalities in that region. The Department uses the efforts and expertise of the Secretariat General exerted during the period 2001 – 2011 in the political and humanitarian areas.
The Secretariat General's efforts in the first half of the second decade (2011-2016) have varied, due to the changes occurred in the countries of concern (as for Sudan: Resolving the Darfur crisis, signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur in July 2011, establishment of the State of South Sudan in July 2011 and leaving the African Union as the sole intermediary in Sudan's issues. Somalia Establishment of permanent government and ending the transitional government mandate, returning the United Nations to Mogadishu, and stabilization of the African Union Mission to Somalia. As for Djibouti-Eritrea, the State of Qatar's mediation to settle the boundary dispute, For Comoros, the closure of the Arab League's office in Moroni and ending the insurgency within the island of Anjouan), taking into consideration the unprecedented developments that have undermined stability of many Arab countries.
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