Brussels, 02/08/2011 (Agence Europe) - Rosalind Marsden, a British national who has been EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Sudan (and head of the Sudan task force within the EU Council) since 1 September 2010, is now to cover both Sudan and South Sudan until 30 June 2012. This has been made necessary by the fact that South Sudan proclaimed independence on 9 July, and the decision to amend and extend Marsden's mandate was taken by the EU Council on Monday 1 August, without debate.
To achieve this double coverage, the Council amended and extended Decision CFSP 2010/450, which had initially appointed Marsden as Special Representative for Sudan until 31 August 2011. Given the imminent expiry of her mandate, the Council has chosen to renew it and has seized this opportunity to extend it to also cover South Sudan. (A.N./transl.jl)