UN / SUDAN

After the Security Council extents the mandate of the UN Mission in Sudan by another year, Sudan's Ambassador Abdalmahmood Mohamad tells the press that the African Union calls the country's recent election process "a model for the rest of Africa." UNTV / FILE

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:50
• Production Date: 29 April 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN SUDAN - UNMIS
• Subject Topical: POLITICAL CONDITIONS; POLITICAL MOVEMENTS; INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY; POLITICAL CONDITIONS; ELECTIONS
• Geographic Subject: SUDAN
• MAMS Id: U100429b

Description

STORY: UN / SUDAN
TRT: 1.50
SOURCE: UNTV / UNMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 29 APRIL 2010, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, Security Council chamber
2. Various shots, Security Council members
3. Wide shot, vote on Sudan
4. Med shot, Sudanese Ambassador arriving at media stakeout
5. Cutaway, cameraman
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Abdalmahmood Mohamad, Permanent Representative of Sudan, United Nations:
“The earlier draft was different than the adopted text. The earlier one presented by the United States thought to preempt the outcome of the referendum and the arrangements to come and also tried to bypass or violate the mandate of UNMIS.”
7. Cutaway, journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Abdalmahmood Mohamad, Permanent Representative of Sudan, United Nations:
“We are very proud of the election process in the Sudan which according to the African Union is a model for the rest of Africa. The registration of 16 million and high turnout and the winning of the President of 68 percent of the vote is really amazing in a situation like Sudan whereby this is the fairest elections after quarter of a century.”
9. Cutaway, journalist

FILE – UNMIS - 11 APRIL 2010, ABYEI, SUDAN

10. Various shots, people voting during Sudan’s national elections

Storyline

The Security Council today (29 April) extended the mandate of the United Nations (UN) mission supporting the 2005 agreement that ended the decades-long north-south civil war in Sudan, stressing the need to complete all remaining tasks under the peace pact.

In a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-member body decided to extend the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) until 30 April 2011, “with the intention to renew it for further periods as may be required.”

The Council stressed the importance of the “full and expeditious” implementation of all elements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended 20 years of fighting between the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) separatists in the south and the national Government in the north.

Sudanese Ambassador Abdalmahmood Mohamad, who spoke to reporters after the vote, welcomed the resolution. He said that the draft resolution, however, was different from the adopted text. He added that in the draft, “presented by the United States thought to preempt the outcome of the referendum and the arrangements to come and also tried to bypass or violate the mandate of UNMIS.”

Referenda are expected to be held next year to determine whether the south secedes or remains as part of Sudan, as well as on the status of the disputed, oil-rich area of Abyei.

The Council requested UNMIS to play a lead role in assisting in the preparations for the January 2011 referenda, and urged the international community to provide technical and material assistance as requested.

The Sudanese Ambassador also talked about the outcome of the recent election is Sudan “which according to the African Union is a model for the rest of Africa.”

Earlier this month Sudan held its first multiparty national election in 24 years.