UN chief appoints former Finnish foreign minister as envoy for Sudan

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday appointed Pekka Haavisto from Finland as his new personal envoy for Sudan, according to a statement.

Haavisto succeeds Ramtane Lamamra from Algeria, whom the statement said Guterres "is grateful for his dedication and commitment to peace efforts in Sudan."

It said Haavisto brings extensive experience in politics and international affairs, as he served as the foreign minister of Finland from 2019 to 2023 and is currently a member of the Finnish parliament.

"The new Personal Envoy has broad experience in mediation and negotiation processes in the Horn of Africa region and in the Middle East," said the statement.

Pointing to his previous experience at the UN, the statement said Haavisto "served as the European Union’s Special Representative for the Sudan, taking part in the Darfur peace negotiations," from 2005 to 2007.

Sudan has been locked in a bloody conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, killing tens of thousands, displacing 13 million people and creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to UN reports.