UN Security Council extends UNITAMS mandate for 12 months
June 3, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The Security Council on Friday extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission (UNITAMS) for one year.
The Council “Decides to extend the mandate of UNITAMS until 3 June 2023, as stated in paragraph 3 of resolution 2579 (2021)”; reads the one-page resolution was passed unanimously by the 15-member body.
The mention made in resolution 2579 amounts to reaffirming four strategic objectives on which UNITAMS must concentrate.
These objectives are: (i) supporting the political transition; (ii) support peace implementation and future peace agreements; (iii) assist in the consolidation of peace, protection of civilians and the rule of law in the states of Darfur, Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, and (iv) support the mobilization of economic aid and Development.
The merits of the resolution reaffirmed all previous presidential resolutions and statements on Sudan and took note of the UN Secretary General’s latest report on the situation in Sudan, including the coup and violent crackdown.
The three African countries (Kenya, Ghana and Gabon) and India introduced some amendments supporting the Sudanese government’s calls to prioritize support for peace implementations and elections.
While Russia and China only asked to keep the resolution’s concise “rolling” wording and to avoid mentioning the coup.
The Sudanese ambassador described certain formulations of the draft resolution as “unbalanced and lacking in objectivity”.
When the text of the draft resolution was silenced on May 31, some Sudanese newspapers reported the adoption of the reappointment resolution as a victory for the military government in Khartoum.
Sudan has sought to mobilize support from African countries, Russia and China. The United Arab Emirates, a non-member of the Security Council, apparently did not support Khartoum’s efforts.
On June 1, Sudanese Islamist groups staged a protest outside the UNITAMS premises in Khartoum calling for mission leader Volker Perthes to be declared persona non grata and expelled.
(ST)