UN concludes political mission in Sudan

The United Nations (UN) has decided to end its mandate for the political mission in Sudan, as requested by the leadership in Khartoum. However, a humanitarian team will remain in the country. UN Secretary-General Guterres continues to call for a ceasefire.

The UN Security Council has agreed to conclude its political mission in the war-torn country of Sudan. 14 out of the 15 member states voted in favor of the decision in New York. Russia abstained from the vote, according to the UN. The political mission will officially end on Sunday, with a transitional period for its closure until the end of February.

In June, Sudan declared the German UN Special Envoy Volker Perthes as an unwanted person, accusing him of fueling the conflict. As a result, Perthes resigned in September. The United Nations consistently denied these allegations. However, two weeks ago, Sudan called on the UN to terminate the political mission, the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (Unitams), which documents human rights abuses in the country.

“The necessity has not diminished”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres once again appealed to the warring parties to agree on an immediate ceasefire. He remains deeply concerned about the escalating conflict and its devastating impact on civilians, according to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

Guterres will continue to work with all stakeholders to support the Sudanese people’s aspirations for a peaceful and secure future. The British UN representative, James Kariuki, expressed regret over the termination 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 stabilization mission, Unitams, was established by the Security Council in June 2020 to support Sudan in its political transition towards a democratic government. In mid-April of this year, an armed conflict broke out in the Northeast African country.

Closure by the end of February

The country’s army, led by Commander and de facto President of Sudan, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, is fighting against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of the dismissed Vice President Mohammed Hamdan Daglo.

Both generals seized power together in 2021 but later fell out. Neither side has gained the upper hand in the conflict so far. According to estimates, more than 10,000 people have been killed in Sudan since mid-April, with more than six million people displaced, according to the UN.

The closure of the Unitams mission is expected to be completed by February 29, 2024. However, a UN country team will remain in the country to provide humanitarian and development assistance.