The Government of Japan has contributed US$ 664,435 to the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) in a project to advance Sudan’s peacebuilding efforts in the Two Areas (Blue Nile and South Kurdufan).

The project builds on the Government of Japan’s previously funded stabilisation efforts in the Two Areas and allows peacebuilding work, previously commissioned through the Mission, to continue in 2023.

The project, which comes in response to recent violence, will be implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in South Kordofan, Blue Nile and the conflict-affected areas of West Kordofan as part of its ongoing efforts towards enhancing community stabilization and peace in the region.

It aims to strengthen the capacities of local peacebuilders and authorities to prevent, respond to, or resolve emerging conflicts in a timely fashion.

“By supporting peacebuilding in conflict-affected parts of the Two Areas, the funding from Japan represents an important contribution to the implementation of a core function of our mandate,” said Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNITAMS, Volker Perthes.

Such peacebuilding approaches fit within the UN Common Approach and reconfirm the commitments of the integrated Mission, which includes UNITAMS and the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), to a community stabilization approach in conflict-affected and conflict-prone areas of Sudan to strengthen the conflict management capacities of the communities.

“It is our honour to work with UNITAMS at this crucial time through our project ‘Peacemaking and Peacebuilding in the Two Areas’. Support for the consolidation of peace has always been a key pillar of the Government of Japan’s diplomacy towards Sudan and other African countries. Building upon our other efforts in the field of peacebuilding here in Sudan, I sincerely hope that this project will contribute to bringing peace to the people of the Two Areas and across Sudan. The objective of this project perfectly aligns with our vision of promoting the consolidation of peace,” said Ambassador of Japan to Sudan, H.E. Mr. Takashi Hattori.

This project provides an opportunity for Japan, as a member of the Security Council, to deepen its engagement in support of the work of the political mission, UNITAMS.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS).