The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has reiterated criticism of the decision by the Sudanese government to expel the top humanitarian official on the country and the top UN development official.

United Nations Resident Coordinator Ali Al Za’tari and UN Development Program Country Director Yvonne Helle have been ordered to leave the country.

“The Secretary-General’s strongly critical position on the expulsion from Sudan of the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) and UNDP Country Director is clear,” reads a statement issued by his spokesman on Tuesday.

“Departure of these key senior United Nations officials would constitute a serious loss for the humanitarian and development community in Sudan at a time when humanitarian needs are growing and the country faces significant development challenges,” it adds.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese government has agreed to extend the deadline for Za’tari’s departure from 2 January until the end of the month.

Sudan’s government has explained its decision in a statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The Sudan decided to expel Mr Ali Al Zaatari because he offended the people of the Sudan as well as their political leadership in a press statement to a Norwegian magazine.”

Za’tari has insisted that he did not say anything offensive about Sudan to the Norwegian magazine.

The ministry’s statement explains also that the UNDP Country Director Yvone Helle was expelled “for numerous reasons including the government of the Sudan’s observation that she was exceedingly prejudiced against the government... and treated Sudanese officials arrogantly and disrespectfully.”

The statement also cited Helle’s decision to halt funding and technical support to certain “strategic projects and programs,” without specifying.

Related:

Sudan expels two senior United Nations officials (26 Dec.)