The German UN special envoy Perthes was supposed to promote peace in crisis-ridden Sudan. In June he was declared a person of “undesirability”. Now he has submitted his resignation – and warned of a “comprehensive civil war”.
The German UN special envoy for Sudan, Volker Perthes, is resigning after being declared an “undesirable person” in the crisis country. Perthes told the UN Security Council that he had asked UN Secretary-General António Guterres to release him from this duty.
In the previous weeks it had become clear that he would not be able to carry out his work effectively without access to the country. At the same time, he warned that the violence in Sudan could escalate into a “full-scale civil war.”
political scientist as Special Representative
The German political scientist was appointed special representative for Sudan in January 2021, almost two years after the fall of long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir. Previously, among other things, he worked as head of the Science and Politics Foundation based in Berlin.
An armed conflict broke out in Sudan in mid-April. The army of the East African country, under the leadership of commander and de facto president Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, is fighting against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of Vice President Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, who was dismissed in the course of the conflict.
Generals fight over power in Sudan
The two generals took power together in a coup in 2021, but later fell out. Neither side has been able to gain the upper hand so far.
Officially, the Sudanese government has no authority to declare United Nations envoys “undesirables.” According to the United Nations Charter, only the UN Secretary-General has the authority to withdraw his staff, while UN member states are obliged to respect UN officials.
At the end of May, Al-Burhan had already accused Perthes of fomenting the conflict in Sudan and called for his removal. The United Nations had always rejected the allegations.