After a challenging mission, the United Nations envoy to Sudan, Volker Perthes, concluded his tumultuous tenure in Khartoum, especially after repeatedly directing criticism at the conflicting parties, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
This made him ‘unwelcomed’ by both sides. In a tweet on his X account on Thursday, he announced the end of his mission in the country, renewing his call for Sudanese parties to quickly end the war that has been ongoing for six months.
“And on the last day in my capacity as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, I would like to say that it has been a great honour for me to support the wonderful people of Sudan in their quest for freedom, democracy, peace, and justice.”
However, he confirmed that he “leaves behind a dedicated UN team that will continue to support the realization of these aspirations”. He added, “As I bid you farewell, I conclude with a sincere plea to the leaders to end the war quickly for the sake of this beloved country and its people.”
On my last day as SRSG for Sudan, I want to convey what a privilege it has been to support the wonderful people of Sudan, in their pursuit for freedom, democracy, peace and justice. The Sudanese people’s commitment to these ideals is inspiring. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/Sqa7JN9zBV
— Volker Perthes (@volkerperthes) September 28, 2023
Earlier this month, Perthes announced that he had requested the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, to relieve him of his mission as the envoy to Sudan. This move came after the army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, sent a letter to Guterres at the end of May, requesting the removal of Perthes, alleging that he “misled” in his reports.
Al-Burhan stated that “without encouraging signals from several parties, including Perthes, the commander of the RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, would not have rebelled.”
However, the Secretary-General of the United Nations initially insisted on retaining Perthes, rejecting his removal, before eventually acquiescing to Volker’s later request.
The clashes continue between the two sides amid the worsening social, economic, and living crises, leading to internal displacement and migration to neighbouring countries, with thousands affected.