Sudan: UN Chief Call to Establish South Mission Headed By Ex- Norwegian Minister

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23 June 2011 Khartoum — Germany's foreign minister Guido Westerwelle has urged north and south Sudan to quickly contain tension along border areas and announced a hike in his country's aid quota for refugees displaced by clashes in Abyei and South Kordofan. Westerwelle arrived in the capital Khartoum on Thursday amid rising tension between north and south Sudan which is due to declare full independence on 9 July. Last month's occupation by North Sudan army of Abyei region, which is claimed by the south, was followed by fighting in the north-south border state of South Kordofan between northern forces and elements aligned with Sudan People's Liberation Army of South Sudan

Sudan Tribune (Paris)

23 June 2011

New York — Ban Ki-moon, the newly re-elected UN Secretary General called on the Security Council to establish a United Nations mission in South Sudan to be headed by the Norwegian Hilde Johnson.

Khartoum government refused to extend the mandate of the current UN mission in Sudan as the interim period of the comprehensive peace agreement of 2005 will finish on 9 July with the formal declaration of the independence of South Sudan in Juba.

“I hope Security Council will take action as early as possible to establish United Nations Mission in South Sudan,” Ki-moon told reporters at the UN headquarters on Wednesday.

The UN chief further said he already handed over recommendations to the Security Council and has “already identified special representative for the south of Sudan, once the Security Council has decided to establish such mission.”

Oslo based newspapers reported that Norway former minister for international development Hilde Johnson who recently served as UNICEF Deputy Executive Director would be the chief of the new UN mission in South Sudan.

Ban’s spokesperson Martin Nesirky on Wednesday confirmed that the Secretary General informed the 15 member council of his intention to “appoint Hilde Frafjord Johnson as his special representative and head of mission for the new mission in South Sudan”.

He further said that the Security Council has been informed that Johnson will start participating in preparations and planning for the future mission in South Sudan when it gives the green light.

Ban said that the mandate of the South Sudan mission will be different from the one of the current mission.

“UNMIS was given mandate of monitoring and verification, but now you are dealing with very big, vast country with peace and stability and security still volatile,” said the UN chief.

Terming it “very difficult,” Ban said, “we need to have enough mobility, enough adequate asset.”

In Khartoum, UN envoy to Sudan Haile Menkerios, on Wednesday met with Undersecretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman to discuss the ongoing measures to conclude UNMIS activities in North Sudan.

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Sudan: UN Chief Call to Establish South Mission Headed By Ex- Norwegian Minister