Sudan's Ministry Of Foreign Affairs: It Is Not Wanted By The Head Of The UN Mission To Go Only

Head of the Sudanese Integrated Transitional Assistance Mission (UNITAMS) Volker Perthes. (Doc. Between/HO-UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)

KHARTOUM - Sudan's Foreign Ministry has declared Sudan's Head of the UN Integrated Transitional Assistance Mission (UNITAMS), Volker Perthes, a "non-grate person" or unwanted person of its presence in the country.

In a statement, Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had been notified of the decision to declare Volker Perthes' Head of the Integrated UN Transitional Assistance Mission (UNITAMS) a "non-grate persona", Anadolu News Agency said on Saturday.

In a letter to Guterres late last month, Sudanese Military Commander Abdel Fattah Al Burhan accused Perthes of fomenting the conflict and calling for him to be fired.

Abdel Fattah also asked Guterres to nominate alternative candidates other than Perthes. However, the Secretary-General of the United Nations affirms full trust in Perthes, who is currently in Ethiopia.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the "non-grate persona" doctrine does not apply to UN personnel.

"The request (Sudan) contradicts the obligations of countries under the UN Charter, including those concerning the privilege and immunity of the United Nations and its personnel," Dujarric told reporters, quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, June 10.

Earlier, in June 2020, the UN Security Council issued a UNITAMS formation resolution in response to the Sudanese government's request at the time.

The African nation has been hit by weeks of violence due to fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary group of the Rapid Support Forces.