Guterres’ Personal Envoy to Visit Khartoum Next Week

Sudanhorizon – Maryam Abshar
Pekka Haavisto, the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, is expected to arrive in Khartoum next week to hold discussions with senior government officials, at his own request.
High-ranking government sources, speaking to Sudanhorizon suggested that the issue of missing persons would be at the top of the envoy’s agenda. The government has previously expressed dissatisfaction with how the UN envoy has handled this sensitive matter, alleging that the international organization has “aligned itself with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia” regarding the exchange of detainees and missing persons. Furthermore, the sources noted that the Personal Envoy has failed to exert effective pressure on the rebellious RSF militia, thereby preventing any progress on this humanitarian issue.
A government official familiar with the matter told Sudanhorizon that the government has demonstrated a serious commitment to addressing the issue of missing persons. It responded promptly by agreeing to the initiative, as the matter is considered a high priority—one that affects numerous Sudanese families who remain in search of any glimmer of hope for the return of their loved ones.
The source added that the government formalized its response through a presidential decree issued by the Chairman of the Sovereign Council, which established a committee tasked with documenting and facilitating the exchange of detainees. The committee has since held several meetings to identify and categorize detainees, as well as to compile the necessary records and databases—a process bolstered by a significant and positive response from the families of the missing, who have actively engaged with the committee’s public announcements. The news website Sudanhorizon reports that the number of missing persons whose identities have been verified—based on official documentation submitted by their families to police stations and public prosecution offices—has exceeded 10,000. It further notes that the government committee has now completed all logistical preparations—including medical facilities for examinations and ambulance services—to receive those returning, and has submitted its report in accordance with the established deadline.

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