Appointment of UN special adviser extended

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, citing progress in peace talks on Somalia and Sudan, has extended the appointment of his special adviser for the Horn of Africa, Muhammad Sahnoun, until the end of the year. In a letter to the president of the Security Council, Annan noted that Sahnoun had been following developments in the Horn of Africa region, especially in Somalia and Sudan, and providing assessments on the UN's role in efforts to reach negotiated settlements of the conflicts in the two countries. The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development-led peace talks on Sudan had made significant progress in recent months, resulting in the signing of the Machakos Protocol in July last year. The two sides were scheduled to resume negotiations this month, and Sahnoun would represent the secretary-general, Annan said. He noted the important achievements made so far, as well as the role Sahnoun would play in the months ahead as the pace of the negotiations to reach agreements accelerated.