The Darfur Network for Human Rights (DNHR) welcomes the successful mission of Honorable Commissioner Hatem Essaiem, Chairperson of the ACHPR Joint Fact-Finding Mission on Human Rights Situation in the Sudan, to Geneva from 6 to 10 September 2026, held on the margins of the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council.
The bilateral meeting between Commissioner Essaiem and representatives of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan strengthened cooperation and complementarity between the two mechanisms, in line with the Addis Ababa Roadmap and the Banjul Joint Declaration on Sudan. The agreement to move from institutional commitment to concrete implementation, including continued discussions at the ACHPR’s 89th Ordinary Session in Dakar, a joint press release, and a joint workshop with civil society organizations, marks meaningful progress toward the coordinated regional and international response that accountability for Sudan urgently requires.
Equally encouraging was the Commissioner’s engagement with the United Kingdom and the Core Group on Sudan, including Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Norway, which underscored the importance of accountability, civilian protection, and renewal of the UN Fact-Finding Mission’s mandate, a call DNHR has consistently made alongside other civil society organizations.
A further highlight was the side event bringing together the three principal mechanisms directly engaged on Sudan: the ACHPR Joint Fact-Finding Mission, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission, and the UN Designated Expert on the situation of human rights in Sudan. This kind of coordination is exactly what’s needed to advance justice and protection for Sudanese civilians.
Closer alignment between African and international human rights mechanisms is essential to ensuring that documentation, monitoring, and advocacy translate into concrete outcomes for victims and survivors. DNHR looks forward to the planned joint workshop with civil society organizations on implementing the Banjul Joint Declaration and stands ready to contribute its own documentation and field experience to that process.
About DNHR
The Darfur Network for Human Rights (DNHR) documents human rights violations in Darfur and across Sudan, and advocates for accountability and civilian protection through engagement with UN and African human rights mechanisms.
