UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a news conference today that he had accepted the resignation of the UN Special Representative for Sudan Volker Perthes.

Guterres said that Perthes "has very strong reasons to resign," without elaborating.

Perthes made the announcement while briefing the Security Council on the situation in Sudan.

"I have had the privilege to serve as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sudan for more than two and a half years," he said.

"I am grateful to the Secretary-General for that opportunity and for his confidence in me, but I have asked him to relieve me of this duty. This will therefore be my last briefing in this function," said Perthes.

Perthes was a key mediator after the conflict began in Sudan, but the military council the UN Secretary-General on June 8 that he was declared persona non grata.

The UN denounced the move, saying that a member of its personnel cannot be declared persona non grata, and that this goes against the UN Charter.

Source: Qatar News Agency