UN refugee chief, other dignitaries expected in Sudan

Source: BBC Monitoring Middle East

By Al-Khartoum daily newspaper

KHARTOUM, Nov. 06, 2003 — The country will during the coming days will receive representatives from the UN, a number of African foreign ministers and the French minister of foreign affairs. The visits will deal entirely on the period after the nearing peace [agreement] in Sudan.

The minister of external relations, Dr Mustafa Uthman Isma’il, said that next week will witness the visit of the [UN] high commissioner for refugees, who will during his stay meet the ministers of foreign, internal and humanitarian affairs and finally the president of the republic.

Dr Mustafa added that there were many Sudanese refugees who needed specific arrangements in order to return to their original location in Sudan. He urged the commissioner to work on making a plan together with the minister of interior and humanitarian affairs, considering that they are bodies dealing with issues of immigrants.

He emphasized the important role the commissioner would play in returning the Sudanese refugees abroad, polarizing organizations and international institutions and providing support of the international community for the issues that will arise after the peace agreement.