Photograph by: DESIREY MINKOH
Credit: AFP

Only the hosts and UN and other mediators were present for the ceremony in the capital Doha, an AFP correspondent reported.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, who is also foreign minister, put a brave face on his government's efforts to bring the two sides to the negotiating table.

“The first signs for reaching a just and comprehensive peace in Darfur have started to appear,” Sheikh Hamad said.

Qatari minister of state for foreign affairs Ahmed al-Mahmud said on Tuesday that serious talks would not start before the holiday of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice, which falls on November 27.

This week, Qatar has been hosting a five-day conference among what it calls civil society members, including representatives of the Darfurian diaspora, which it hopes will make recommendations for eventual peace talks.

Over the past three years, the rebels have splintered into around 20 factions, severely complicating efforts to broker an end to the conflict.

In February, the most heavily armed rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), signed an agreement with the Khartoum government on confidence-building measures intended to pave the way for further talks.

But other key factions have refused to join the mooted talks in Doha and the JEM says there is no point in taking part if there is no unity among the rebels.

The United Nations says up to 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million fled their homes since the ethnic minority rebels first rose up against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum in February 2003.

Sudan's government says 10,000 people have been killed.