Sudan & South Sudan

On 23 July 2014, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon announced the appointment of Ellen Margrethe Løj of Denmark as his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS). Ms. Løj succeeded Hilde Johnson of Norway, who had completed her assignment two weeks earlier, on 7 July 2014. 

Nicholas Haysom has experience in challenging political situations. His service with the United Nations has seen him serve as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s top political advisor at UN Headquarters in New York – but has also involved service in some of the toughest field assignment locations, such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

A delegation from the United Nations Security Council is expected to visit South Sudan this week.

Halima, aged 22, is from the village of Yei in South Sudan. Now, though, Yei is only a name, and a distant dream for her and her four children. Bidi Bidi: she will have to get used to that, as the new name for her new home. Bidi Bidi. Besides this name and its new beats, she will learn new names, of new neighbours, too. Her husband is not here with her; he was shot dead two weeks ago, when her village was attacked.

One of the expected outcomes of the first World Humanitarian Summit (WHS), which will take place next week in Istanbul, Turkey, is a commitment from the international community to dedicate more resources to prevent and reduce human suffering.