Sudan

Sudan's Sovereign Council ratified UN conventions against torture and enforced disappearances Tuesday, after months of delay. … Rights groups also welcome the move and are calling on the government to set procedures that validate the pacts. 

The October 2020 accord between rebels and Sudan’s transitional government is a big step forward. But difficulties remain. External powers should help Khartoum broaden the deal to include holdouts, reform the security sector and keep promises to invest in the country’s long-neglected peripheries.

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and UNITAMS head Volker Perthes held their first meeting to discuss ways the political mission can support the democratic transition and end Sudan’s economic crisis. In a statement released on Sunday, Perthes said he had "a fruitful first meeting with Hamdok to discuss the UNITAMS mandate as provided in the Resolution 2524 (2020).

Sudan's second cabinet since the ouster of president Omar al-Bashir was sworn in on Wednesday as the country transitioned back to civilian rule.

The announcement on February 8 of a new Cabinet in Khartoum—the product of a peace accord signed by Sudan’s transitional government with several armed groups in October 2020 through a deal brokered by South Sudan—offers hope that the broader inclusion of political leaders can help address Sudan’s pressing challenges and create peace dividends.

Mr. Volker Perthes arrived in Khartoum early this morning to take up his functions as Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Sudan and Head of the United Nations Integrated Transitional Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS).

Recent intercommunal violence and deadly attacks in Darfur have prompted two independent UN human rights experts on Monday to urge the Government of Sudan to urgently implement strong measures to ensure the safety of civilians, including the internally displaced.

Sudan has deployed a significant number of troops in West and South Darfur states to prevent renewal of intercommunal attacks. However, the volatile security situation remains the main concern in the region.

A sharp uptick in intercommunal violence in Sudan’s Darfur region has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes in search of safety, including many into neighbouring Chad, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported on Friday. According to the agency, 250 people – including three humanitarian workers – also lost their lives in the clashes that started on 15 January in West Darfur province, and spread into South Darfur the next day.