In Khartoum, Mr Solheim will meet government representatives to discuss implementation of the peace agreement between the north and the south. He will emphasise the need to stop the violence in Darfur, where the level of conflict has escalated in recent months, and to improve conditions so that humanitarian groups can work in the region.
“We must do what we can to ensure that the civilian population in Darfur receives humanitarian assistance and is protected from assault. The international community has concluded that it will be difficult to deploy a pure UN force in Darfur. We therefore need to look at alternative solutions. This is a topic I want to discuss with Sudanese leaders,” says Mr Solheim.
In Darfur, Mr Solheim will visit a refugee camp and meet Norwegian aid agencies and the UN.
In Khartoum, Mr Solheim will also participate in a meeting with the international commission that supervises the implementation of the peace agreement between the north and the south (the Assessment and Evaluation Commission).