UN Ends Mandate of Independent Expert of Human Rights in Sudan

October 6, 2020 (KHARTOUM) - The United Nation Human Rights Council Tuesday terminated the mandate of the UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Sudan.

UN independent expert on the human rights situation in Sudan Aristide Nononsi (UNAMID Photo)According to a statement released by the Sudanese foreign ministry, the resolution was adopted unanimously by the Human Rights Council in its 45th session on Tuesday, October 6, 2020.

Some human rights groups called for renewing the mandate for another year.

Sudan’s Permanent Representative Ambassador Abdel Rahman, hailed the move saying the Council’s unanimous adoption of this resolution reflects the international community’s welcome of the positive developments in Sudan.

"It also reflects at the same time the support of the international community for the efforts led by the (transitional) government to achieve peace and stability throughout the country," he further said in his speech before the Council after the adoption of the resolution.

The repeated human rights violations in Sudan during the 30-year rule by the former regime led the UN Human Rights to adopt several mechanisms for fact-finding and monitoring for the situation in Sudan.

The first Independent Expert, Mohamed Chande Othman, a former judge from Tanzania, was appointed in October 2005. His appointment came after a decision to end the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Sudan in June of the same year.

The last Independent Expert on Sudan, Aristide Nononsi (Benin), was designated in 2015. His mandate terminated last June, the Council had to appoint a new expert or to terminate it.

(ST)