Former UN envoy to Somalia to work with AU on Sudan crisis

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed former UN envoy to Somalia Nicholas Haysom to work with the African Union to resolve the ongoing political crisis in Sudan following a military coup last week.

Haysom’s appointment comes amid an AU ultimatum on Sudan to hand over power to a civilian government.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Haysom who was kicked out by Somali government barely three months into office as UN chief in the country will work with the African Union to find a solution to the stalemate in Sudan.

“The African Union put out a very clear statement,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Haysom will “do whatever he can to support their efforts.”

Guterres discussed the appointment of the envoy by phone on Tuesday with Moussa Faki, the head of the African Union Commission.

Sudan’s military rulers who removed president Omar al-Bashir from office on April 11 have offered dialogue with all political groups on forming a civilian government after protesters kept up demands for change.

Following Bashir’s ouster, Guterres has called for a transition that meets the “democratic aspiration” of the Sudanese people.

GOOBJOOG NEWS and AFP