UNFPA chief's expulsion: Another humanitarian crackdown in Sudan?

The international aid community was dealt another blow this week in Sudan, when the government ordered the head of the U.N. Population Fund to leave the country.

According to the Sudanese foreign ministry, Pamela DeLargy "was not abiding by the country's laws [and] interfering in the country's domestic affairs in a manner that is inconsistent with her status as a U.N. official."

But no further details were given, so UNFPA, through the Office of the U.N. Resident Coordinator in Khartoum — which was the first one to be notified of the deportation order — is seeking clarifications on the matter.

"We regret this decision and are in communication with the U.N. country team in Sudan ... We hope that we would very soon be able to continue and re-establish normal relationships with the government of Sudan," UNFPA said in a statement.

Some humanitarians we spoke with were surprised by the incident.

Adebayo Fayoyin, regional communications adviser for UNFPA in East and Southern Africa based in Johannesburg, however, declined to comment on whether it's an isolated incident or a warning sign that international workers are again being targeted in Sudan, as was the case a few years back when the government expelled a number of iNGOs.

Researcher, analyst and Sudan expert Eric Reeves wrote in a blog post last month that Khartoum's "assault" against humanitarian groups continue.

That same month, authorities shut down the office of French aid group Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development in West Darfur, a month after suspending the activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross due to some "technical issues."

At present, UNFPA's programs in Sudan will continue. DeLargy’s case "has nothing to do with the UNFPA, whose missions and programmes are very much appreciated by my government," according to foreign ministry spokesman Abubakr al-Siddiq.

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