New York (UNA-OIC) – The political transition in Sudan is moving forward, though the formation of the legislative council and other important milestones have yet to be achieved, the head of the new UN mission in the country told a virtual meeting of the Security Council on Tuesday.
Volker Perthes delivered his first briefing to ambassadors after five weeks at the helm of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), whose mandate includes supporting progress towards democratic governance.
Perthes said the new government has been able to agree on national priorities such as addressing socio-economic conditions, implementing the peace agreement and resuming negotiations with two non-signatories, and reforming the security sector.
However, formation of the Transitional Legislative Council, where women must represent at least 40 percent of the 300 seats, remains outstanding.
“The swift formation of an inclusive and representative Legislative Council is indeed critical to broaden the support for the political transition. There are fears that the gains achieved for women’s rights in the Constitutional Document, such as a Gender Commission to be established or the 40 percent, might not be realized,” he said.
“And Sudanese youth have also expressed frustration over their lack of representation. I can only underscore that an inclusive political process, including all segments of Sudan’s diverse society throughout the political transition, is essential for the success of this transition.”
UNITAMS follows on from a joint UN-African Union operation in the country, that protected hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced by the brutal fighting in Darfur.
