The Darfur Peace Agreement stated that the referendum should be held twelve months after the national elections had taken place in Darfur, and no later than July 2010. The referendum did not take place at that time.[7] In December 2010, the secretary general of the Transitional Darfur Regional Authority, Khalid Billal Ahmad, stated that the people of Darfur will "make their final decision" in 2011 implying that the referendum will be held in that year.[8] The Chairperson of the authority also stated his commitment to the referendum in February 2011.[9]