UN extends mandate of Darfur experts for 13 months
February 10, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The UN Security Council extended for 13 months the mandate of Darfur independent experts and vowed to review the different sanctions in the context of the evolving situation on the ground.
The Security Council on Thursday 8 February unanimously passed the resolution 2400 (2018) extending until 12 March 2019 the mandate of the Panel of Experts on Sudan.
The Council further expressed “its intention to regularly review the measures on Darfur,(…) in light of the evolving situation on the ground,” adding it would take note of the previous reports and recommendations made by the panel, and in light of its upcoming interim report due by 12 August 2018 as well as its final report.
In its latest report of December 2017, the experts recommended continuing to monitor the presence and activities of Darfur rebel groups in Libya and South Sudan. Also, it advised urging the two countries to prevent the supply of arms to Darfur rebel groups.
Sudan ambassador to the United Nations Omer Dahab Fadl Mohamed welcomed the resolution saying it reflects the continuous improvement in the situation in Darfur and called to review the sanctions regime describing it as “obsolete”.
The Sudanese diplomat further pointed to Darfur armed groups operating across international borders, saying they should be considered as “a regional threat”. He further called to impose sanctions on some groups that refuse to engage in the peace process.
(ST)