NEW YORK: The United Nations Security Council has decided to extend the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (Unitams) for just six months, following accusations made against UN envoy Volker Perthes by Sudan’s army chief.
The resolution, passed unanimously on Friday, sets the new expiration date for the mission as December 3, 2023, reflecting the fragile situation in Sudan.
Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, recently accused Perthes of exacerbating the ongoing civil conflict that the army is engaged in against paramilitary groups. In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, al-Burhan also requested the appointment of a replacement for Perthes, claiming that the envoy had engaged in “fraud and disinformation” while facilitating a political process that ultimately resulted in six weeks of devastating urban warfare.
During a closed Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Secretary-General Guterres expressed his unwavering support for Perthes, stating that it was the Security Council’s responsibility to decide whether to continue the mission or bring it to an end. The resolution adopted on Friday calls on the Secretary-General to provide quarterly reports on Unitams in Sudan, with the next report expected by August 30.
Unitams in Sudan
Perthes, who was in New York when the accusations were made, is scheduled to return to the region in the coming days. He plans to meet with African Union officials in Addis Ababa before resuming his duties. Farhan Haq, a spokesman for Secretary-General Guterres, confirmed these plans.
Unitams was established in June 2020 to support Sudan’s democratic transition following the ousting of former President Omar al-Bashir a year prior. Previously, the mission had been renewed on an annual basis. However, the recent developments and accusations against the UN envoy have resulted in a shorter extension, highlighting the delicate and complex nature of the situation in Sudan.
