Appointment of an Algerian diplomat as Guterres’ Personal Envoy in the Sudan

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed Friday the appointment of Algerian diplomat Mr. Ramtan Lamamra as his Personal Envoy to the Sudan a day after a letter demanding Khartoum terminate the work of the United Nations political mission “UNITAMS” in the Sudan, according to UN News.

The Secretary-General’s spokesman, Stefan Dujarric, reported receipt of the letter from the Government of the Sudan.

Replying to a question in his daily press briefing, Dujarric said that the Personal Envoy’s headquarters would not be in the Sudan.

Dujarric stressed that the United Nations “will continue to engage closely with all actors, including the Sudanese authorities and members of the Security Council, to clarify the next steps.”

It was the Security Council that gave the Secretary-General the mandate to administer United Nations political and peacekeeping missions.

Dujarric confirmed that the United Nations had received a letter from the Government of the Sudan “announcing the Government’s decision to terminate UNMIT immediately”.

Dujarric said that the Sudanese Government “has also declared its commitment to engage constructively with the Security Council and the United Nations Secretariat on a new agreed formula.”

Dujarric referred to the Secretary-General’s announcement that Ian Martin had been appointed to lead the strategic audit of UNITAMS with a view to providing the Security Council with options on how to better adapt the Mission’s mandate to the current context.

UNITAMS, a special UN political mission, was established in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2524 in June 2020.

Its mandate is due to expire on December 3.