UNSC fails to reach common position on response to Sudan’s expulsion of UN officials
December 30, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met in a closed session on Tuesday to discuss Sudan’s expulsion of two senior officials this month but failed to reach a consensus on how to respond.
“[The UNSC] did not come out with anything,” Karti said.
Last week, Sudan ordered the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Ali al-Za’atari and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) country director Yvonne Helle to leave the country.
Khartoum said Za’atari’s ejection was over an interview he made with a Norwegian newspaper in which he made remarks deemed insulting to the Sudanese people and president Omer Hassan al-Bashir.
Helle on the other hand, was described as being “extremely prejudiced” against the government and dealing with local officials in an “arrogant and cocky” manner.
“She has also taken decisions without consulting the Sudanese government to stop the financial and technical support to a number of programs and strategic projects with developmental, political and economic yield to Sudan which runs contrary to her functions and role as a representative of the United Nations in addressing the developmental conditions, reducing poverty, increasing growth as well as developing and building public institutions” the Sudanese foreign ministry said in a statement last week.
The UNSC meeting chaired by its rotating president Chad, listened to a report presented by UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, and after deliberations the council members were split between those who wanted a statement condemning Khartoum’s move and others who opposed any rebuke.
These countries included United States, France, Australia and Lithuania who argued that Sudan deliberately targeted the UN and its employees against the backdrop of the dispute between the world body and Khartoum over events in North Darfur village of Tabit.
A Darfuri media outlet based in the Netherlands reported accusations last month that Sudanese soldiers had raped some 200 women and girls in Tabit.
Following these allegations, Sudanese authorities initially prevented a verification team from the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) from probing the claim but allowed them to visit the area one week later.
After the visit, UNAMID said they found no evidence confirming the mass rape claims.
However, Sudanese officials were angered by the remarks of UN officials who stressed the need for further investigation mentioning the heavy presence of military and police during the first probe.
Since then , Sudan refused to authorize a second investigation and called publicly for an exit strategy for the joint mission from Darfur.
Russia, China, Nigeria, Rwanda and Argentina strongly opposed issuance of any condemnation, given that the Sudanese government exercised its sovereign right that is guaranteed by international law and the UN Charter.
In Washington, the United States State Department released a statement today deploring Sudan’s expulsion of the two UN officials.
“The expulsions of Mr. Ali Al-Za’tari and Ms. Yvonne Helle, two highly regarded UN professionals, are detrimental to Sudan’s relations with the international community and to the protection and well-being of the people of Sudan. The United States will continue to press the Government of Sudan to desist from actions that hinder the United Nations’ ability to meet its humanitarian and security objectives in Sudan”.
SUDAN UN AMBASSADOR REPLACEMENT
In a related issue, local Sudanese newspapers quoted diplomatic sources as saying that Khartoum decided to replace its UN ambassador Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman and have him return home by mid-January.
Some sources declined to link the decision to his performance asserting that this is a routine procedure that takes place regularly in the Sudanese foreign ministry.
But other sources attributed the move to his unjustified absence from the UNSC briefing this month by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Fatou Bensouda.
Osman assumed this post last April. He was previously the foreign ministry undersecretary.
Sudan’s current ambassador to Juba Mutrif Sideeg is speculated to replace Osman.
(ST)