Antonio Guterres on Tuesday appointed Pekka Haavisto as his new personal envoy for Sudan, the United Nations announced.
Haavisto succeeds Ramtane Lamamra, with Guterres expressing gratitude for his dedication to peace efforts in the conflict-torn nation.
The UN said Haavisto brings decades of political and diplomatic experience to one of the world’s most fragile crises.
He served as Finland’s foreign minister from 2019 to 2023 and currently sits in the Finnish parliament.
The statement highlighted his broad background in mediation and negotiation across the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.
Haavisto previously served as the European Union’s Special Representative for Sudan, participating in the Darfur peace negotiations between 2005 and 2007.
Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal conflict between General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army and Rapid Support Forces since April 2023.
The fighting has killed tens of thousands and uprooted more than 13 million people, according to United Nations estimates.
Entire neighbourhoods lie in ruins, while families flee across borders seeking safety from relentless violence.
The war has created one of the gravest humanitarian crises in the world, stretching aid resources to their limits.
Haavisto now steps into the role at a moment when diplomacy is fragile and expectations are immense.
