UN expert announces mission to Darfur, Kordofan

The United Nations Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Sudan, Aristide Nononsi, will soon carry out his second mission to the country to assess the situation of human rights.

Nononsi plans to travel to Sudan from 14 to 28 April 2016 to assess the efforts being undertaken by the Sudanese government to comply with its international human rights obligations.

The human rights expert, who visits Sudan at the invitation of the government, will travel to Khartoum, Darfur and South Kordofan, to meet with government officials, representatives of civil society organisations, students, academia, members of the diplomatic corps, and UN agencies. After an assessment and reporting on the situation of human rights, Nononsi makes recommendations on technical assistance for addressing human rights in the country.

“My assessment will focus on the protection of basic fundamental rights of Sudanese people, including civil and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights, with particular emphasis on the situation of internally displaced persons,” noted the Independent Expert in a statement on Tuesday.

“I will meet with relevant stakeholders to follow-up on the implementation of recommendations made to Sudan by all human rights mechanisms, including those made by my predecessors and those contained in my report of September 2015 to the Human Rights Council,” Nononsi added.

Extension

Aristide Nononsi was designated as the new Independent Expert on the human rights situation in Sudan by the UN Human Rights Council in 2014. His mandate has been extended for an additional year in September 2015.

In February, Nononsi called for an immediate end to the hostilities in Jebel Marra that triggered new protection and humanitarian concerns in Darfur. “The Government of Sudan has a duty to facilitate free, full and unhindered access to all conflict-affected areas to Unamid (UN-African Union Mission in Darfur), UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations,” he noted.

The expert requested Khartoum to ensure the participation of all armed opposition groups in an inclusive national dialogue to advance peace in Sudan.

In May 2015, Nononsi visited camps in Darfur, urging the Sudanese government and the international community to create and maintain a secure environment for the displaced in Darfur.