Sudan Requests Immediate Termination of UN Political Mission
Sudan has made a bold move by asking the United Nations to “immediately terminate” the UN political mission in the country (UNITAMS). Acting Foreign Minister Ali Sadeq delivered the message to the UN Security Council in a letter seen by Reuters.
In the letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and circulated to the UN Security Council, Sadeq wrote, “(The) government of Sudan requested that the United Nations immediately terminate the UNITAMS mission. At the same time, we would like to assure you that the Government of Sudan is committed to engaging constructively with the Security Council and the Secretariat.”
The purpose of establishing the mission was to assist the transitional government of Sudan after the December 2018 revolution, but Sadeq expressed disappointment in the mission’s performance in implementing its objectives.
When asked about Sudan’s decision, Guterres spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the letter had been received and circulated to the Security Council.
The request comes amid a war that erupted on April 15 between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces after weeks of rising tension over a plan to integrate forces as part of a transition from military rule to civilian democracy.
In a related development, the UN special envoy to Sudan announced in September that he was stepping down, more than three months after Sudan declared him unwelcome after disagreements between rival factions erupted into war.
The request for the termination of the UN mission signifies a major shift in Sudan’s stance towards international involvement in their transitional period. It remains to be seen how the UN and the international community will respond to this decision.