UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday confirmed the appointment of Algerian diplomat Ramtane Lamamra as his personal envoy to Sudan, a day after a letter called on Khartoum to end the work of the United Nations political mission (UNITAMS) in Sudan, UN News reported.
The Secretary-General’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, reported receipt of the letter from the Sudanese Government.
In response to a question in his daily press briefing, Dujarric said the Personal Envoy’s headquarters would not be in Sudan.
Dujarric stressed that the UN “will continue to engage, in close contact, with all actors, including the Sudanese authorities and members of the Security Council, to clarify the next steps.”
It was the Security Council that gave the Secretary-General the mandate to manage United Nations political and peacekeeping missions.
Dujarric confirmed that the United Nations had received a letter from the Sudanese government: “The government’s decision announces the immediate termination of the United Nations Integrated Assistance Mission for Transition (UNITAMS).”
Dujarric said the Sudanese government “also stated its commitment to engage constructively with the Security Council and the UN Secretariat on a new, agreed formula.”
Dujarric recalled the Secretary-General’s announcement of the appointment of Ian Martin to lead the strategic review of UNITAMS with the aim of providing the Security Council with options on how to better adapt the Mission’s mandate to the current context.
UNITAMS, a special UN political mission, was established in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2524 in June 2020. Its mandate is due to expire on the third of next December.
Source: Gulf 365
