clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

UN official arrives in Sudan to assess impact of US sanctions

November 24, 2015 at 3:05 pm

The Special Rapporteur of the UNHCR, Idriss Jazairy, arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Monday for a visit aimed at evaluating the impact of US sanctions imposed on the country.

The UN official met Sudan’s Justice Minister, Judge Tahani Tural-Dabba on his arrival. Following the meeting, Judge Tural-Dabba expressed her country’s rejection of the sanctions imposed by Washington. “They have had a negative impact on human rights in Sudan, especially in providing core services to our citizens,” she explained.

The sanctions are a “violation of human rights” added the judge. Nevertheless, she pointed out that the government will provide the necessary assistance to the UN official so that he can see for himself the sanctions’ impact across all aspects of Sudanese life. The duration of Jazairy’s visit was not announced, but he is expected to meet government officials as well as representatives of civil society organisations and the UN agencies concerned with Sudan.

Relations are still strained between Washington and the government of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir and have been since he came to power in 1989. The US put Khartoum on the list of “state sponsors of terrorism” in 1993, which paved the way for economic sanctions, including a ban on all types of commercial and financial dealings between the two countries which came into effect in 1997.

Idriss Jazairy was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as the first special rapporteur looking at the adverse effects of unilateral measures taken by a country or a group of countries against the enjoyment of human rights. His term of office began in May.