Sudan denies expulsion of senior UN official

The Sudanese government denied on Monday what a UN statement has said that it expelled one of its officials.

Earlier, a UN statement said that Khartoum has refused to renew the stay permit for Ivo Freijsen, Head of the Sudan branch of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"Freijsen's request was presented in January 2014 on the bases that his work would be for a transitional period, and consequently the foreign ministry granted him a permit to work in Sudan," the statement by Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) said.

It noted that the government has renewed Freijsen's stay permit for extra periods that end in June 2016.

The HAC reiterated in the statement its keenness to work with the UN agencies in the humanitarian field and provide them with all facilities to ensure the flow of humanitarian assistance.

It also urged all partners to work according to the humanitarian principles and abide by the national laws and polices, noting that giving or denying permissions is a sovereign right of the state.

Meanwhile, the HAC said it is not satisfied with the work style of Freijsen, adding that his work period as was "weak at level of coordination with the government."

"Freijsen's work period witnessed tension in the relations due to the negative attitudes represented in lack of accuracy and objectivity in dealing with the humanitarian issues in Sudan," it noted.

Freijsen landed at his current post in February 2014. Enditem