The United Nations is withdrawing its mandate for political action in Sudan – as demanded by the leadership in Khartoum. An aid team remains in the country. UN Secretary-General Guterres continues to call for a ceasefire.
The UN Security Council has decided to end its political mission in the civil war-torn country of Sudan. 14 of the 15 member states voted for it in New York. Russia abstained, the United Nations said. The political mission now officially ends on Sunday, and there is a transition period until the end of February to complete it.
In June, Sudan declared German UN special envoy Volker Perthes persona non grata. He was accused of fomenting the conflict. Perthes then resigned in September. The United Nations always rejected the allegations. However, two weeks ago, Sudan called on the UN to end the political mission Unitams (UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission Sudan), which also documents human rights violations in Sudan.
“Need has not diminished”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres again appealed to the warring parties to agree on an immediate ceasefire. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said he remains deeply concerned about the escalating conflict and its devastating impact on the civilian population.
Guterres will continue to work with all stakeholders to support the aspirations of the Sudanese people for a peaceful and secure future. The British UN representative James Kariuki regretted the end of the mission. “The need for the UN and the international community to support the people of Sudan has not diminished,” he said.
The so-called Unitams stabilization mission was set up by the Security Council in June 2020 to support Sudan in the political transition to a democratic government. In mid-April this year, an armed conflict broke out in the northeast African country.
Processing by the end of February
The country’s army, under the leadership of commander and de facto President of Sudan, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, is fighting against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of Vice President Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, who was dismissed in the course of the conflict.
The two generals took power together in a coup in 2021, but later fell out. Neither side has yet gained the upper hand in the conflict. It is estimated that more than 10,000 people have been killed in Sudan since mid-April and, according to the UN, more than six million people have fled their homes.
The Unitams mission is scheduled to be completed on February 29, 2024. A UN country team providing humanitarian and development assistance remains in the country.
Antje Passenheim, ARD New York, tagesschau, December 2nd, 2023 10:32 a.m