Volker Perthes, the United Nations’ chief mediator for Sudan, has hit a wall.
The Sudanese government has declared him persona non grata, barring him from entering the country. Perthes was frozen out of ceasefire talks hosted by the United States and Saudi Arabia, while African governments have seized the initiative from the U.N. to lead negotiations aimed at ending the country’s monthslong civil war.
From Khartoum to Capitol Hill and Moscow, Perthes has been blamed for letting a fragile transition from decades of dictatorial rule to democracy evaporate. “This is a moment where someone’s head needs to roll, and unfortunately, it looks like it’s Perthes,” Suliman Baldo, a former U.N. consultant and executive director of the Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker, told Devex.
About the author
Colum Lynch
Colum Lynch is an award-winning reporter and Senior Global Reporter for Devex. He covers the intersection of development, diplomacy, and humanitarian relief at the United Nations and beyond. Prior to Devex, Colum reported on foreign policy and national security for Foreign Policy Magazine and the Washington Post. Colum was awarded the 2011 National Magazine Award for digital reporting for his blog Turtle Bay. He has also won an award for groundbreaking reporting on the U.N.’s failure to protect civilians in Darfur.
