Sudan requests AU, UN agencies not to deal with UN special envoy
June 10, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese military-led government has made an unprecedented request to Ethiopia, the African Union, and UN agencies, asking them not to engage with UN Secretary-General Special Representative to Sudan Volker Perthes.
In a letter dated June 9, seen by Sudan Tribune, the Sudanese Embassy in Addis Ababa reiterated its decision to declare Volker Perthes persona non grata as of June 8, 2023.
The letter said, “The Government of the Republic of Sudan requests to cease dealing with Mr Volker Perthes in his capacity as Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS).”
The note was sent to the Ethiopian foreign ministry, the African Union Commission, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, and all diplomatic and consular missions in Ethiopia, including UN specialized agencies.
Perhese is currently in the Ethiopian capital, where he consults with the African Union and IGAD over a roadmap to settle the Sudanese crisis and hold intra-Sudanese political talks.
UN Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric responded to the Sudanese government’s decision regarding the UNITAMS head, highlighting that the doctrine of persona non grata does not apply to UN personnel.
Dujarric referenced a statement issued by the UN Secretary-General on January 4, 2019, in response to Somalia’s declaration of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), Nicholas Haysom, as persona non grata.
The statement emphasized that the doctrine of persona non grata does not apply to United Nations personnel under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
“The United Nations is not a State, and its personnel are not accredited to the States where they are deployed, but work under the sole responsibility of the Secretary-General,” the statement stressed, referring to Article 9 of the Vienna Convention.
While observers and diplomats declined to comment on the letter’s content, an African diplomat expressed surprise and questioned how the Sudanese government could expect support from other countries and organizations while violating international treaties and disregarding UN Security Council resolutions.
This development adds further tension to the already complex situation in Sudan as the UN and Sudanese authorities navigate their differences amid efforts to address the country’s challenges and promote stability.
(ST)