Rebel alliance supports new UN political peace mission in Sudan

The head of the Sudanese Revolutionary Front rebel alliance, El Hadi Idris, expressed support for the request made by Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok to the United Nations Security Council to establish a UN ‘political mission’ in Sudan to support the peace process and help Sudan to mobilise international financial assistance.

In a press statement on Monday Idris said that the creation of such a mission would provide “the international guarantees that the armed movements have been demanding all along to be part of any agreement to be signed in Juba”, where the peace negotiations between the armed movements and the Sudanese government take place.

He said that the SRF discussed a role similar to what Prime Minister Hamdok asked for with the head of the joint United Nations – African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur (Unamid). Unamid is scheduled to be withdrawn from Sudan.

According to the SRF this new mission or peace support operation must not only oversee and follow up on peace, but also protect the displaced. The need for this became very clear again, Idris said, after the recent attacks on displaced people in camps near the West Darfur capital El Geneina at the end of December.

Idris said the Hamdok proposal will “fill the void which will be created by Unamid’s withdrawal during the time when the peace agreement in Sudan will be implemented”.