Press Release

11.06.98

Secretary-General Appoints Ambassador Tom Eric Vraalsen as his Special Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs for the Sudan

NEW YORK, - June (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) - Secretary-General Kofi Annan has decided to appoint Tom Eric Vraalsen, who is currently Ambassador of Norway to the United States, as his Special Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs for the Sudan. Ambassador Vraalsen will succeed Robert van Schaik, former Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Nations, who has announced his resignation effective 15 June.

Ambassador Vraalsen’s appointment comes at a time when international humanitarian relief efforts conducted through Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) are focussed on the crisis in the Bahr El Ghazal region and other areas of southern Sudan where as many as 900.000 persons have been seriously affected by the combined effects of drought and renewed hostilities. At the same time, United Nations and international non-governmental organizations working within the OLS consortium have been encouraged by recent decisions communicated to the Secretary-General by the Government of the Sudan to allow unrestriced access to these areas. On the occasion of his discussions in Khartoum on 9 May, the Secretary-General also warmly welcomed the Government’s decision to authorize an OLS needs assessment mission to the Nuba Mountains. Presently, this mission is scheduled to take place sometime in early June.

The Sudanese population has been severely affected by the civil conflict in the country, which is now entering its fifteenth year and which is estimated to have cost the lives of over 1 million persons. An estimated four million persons have been displaced internally.

Ambassador Vraalsen, who will be continuing his functions of Norwegian Ambassador to the United States, plans to visit the Sudan and neighbouring countries shortly to consult with all concerned parties on additional ways and means of meeting the urgent humanitarian needs of affected populations in all areas of the Sudan.