UK minister for United Nations to visit Khartoum
September 1, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – Lord Tariq Ahmad Khan, UK State Minister
for the Commonwealth and the United Nations would visit Sudan on 3 September said the British embassy in Khartoum in a press release on Saturday
It pointed out that Khan “will see how the UN is supporting the people of Sudan through its peacekeeping and development operations. He will visit peacebuilding projects which are helping local communities establish stability and lasting peace in Darfur”.
Lord Ahmad will also hold meetings in both Khartoum and Darfur, including discussions with senior members of the Government, UN officials, peacekeepers and Sudanese civil society.
The UK minister will encourage all parties to seek political solutions to disagreements and promote respect for human rights.
“The Sudanese people deserve to live in peace, and the UN has a vital role in helping them achieve this. There must not be a return to the insecurity and violence that have plagued Darfur for so long. The transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding and development is critical to securing a more prosperous future for Sudan,” said Khan on arrival in Khartoum
Since 2015, Sudan and the UK have started a dialogue upon request from Khartoum to push forward bilateral ties.
In March 2016, Sudan and the UK held the first strategic consultations meetings between the two countries in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
The meeting was considered the first talks of its kind at the ministerial level in 25 years.
The two countries agreed to exchange visits at the level of senior officials from the two countries along with increasing cooperation in the fields of economy, investment and culture.
Last month, British Minister of State for Africa, Harriett Baldwin, paid a three-day-visit to Khartoum during which she discussed with Sudanese officials bilateral relations and ways to support Sudan to achieve political stability and economic reform.
The UK is one of the Troika’s three countries that support the African Union peace process to end the armed conflicts in the Two-Areas and Darfur region.
(ST)