By John Ikani
Sudan has declared Volker Perthes, the representative of the UN secretary-general and head of the UNITAMS mission, persona non grata.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement confirming the government’s decision, stating, “The Government of the Republic of Sudan has notified the Secretary-General of the United Nations that it has declared Mr. Volker Perthes… persona non grata as of today.”
By declaring Volker Perthes as persona non grata, Sudan is essentially stating that he is no longer welcome in the country and must leave immediately.
Volker Perthes, who was recently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for diplomatic talks, has been involved as a crucial mediator in Sudan.
He played a pivotal role during the country’s unsteady attempts to transition to democracy and also amidst escalating tensions between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which eventually led to open fighting in April.
Perthes drew criticism from leaders of both factions involved in Sudan’s conflict due to his public criticism of their failure to maintain a ceasefire.
Sudan’s Army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accused Perthes of exacerbating the country’s conflict.
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, al-Burhan requested the removal of Perthes, alleging a lack of respect for Sudan’s “national sovereignty.”
Despite these accusations, Guterres has stood by Perthes.
The decision to declare Perthes persona non grata reflects the escalating tensions and disagreements within Sudan’s political landscape.
The consequences of this expulsion are yet to be seen, but it undoubtedly poses challenges to the ongoing peace and democratic transition efforts in the country.
