Sudan: UN should alter strategy

Sudan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dafalla Al-Haj has called the organisation to address the roots of conflict, rather than addressing their results. The official was referring to huge financial expenditure on annual peacekeeping operations, citing a UNAMID mission which cost nearly $3bn. Al-Haj's speech was made during his participation in the unofficial UN General Assembly meeting, in which the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, presented his priorities during his second term. Ki-moon focused on five key objectives: comprehensive and sustainable development, human rights, facing natural disaster and humanitarian crises; disarmament with nuclear non-proliferation and empowerment of women and youth. Dafalla praised the role of UN delegates of mediating in conflict zones, but demanded the Secretary-General get involved in person. He stressed Sudan's appreciation of the efforts of the United Nations in the country. In his comment, the Secretary-General agreed with Ambassador Dafalla on the need to address the causes of conflicts