Showing posts with label Brussels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brussels. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Sudan: EU supports removing Sudan from terror list - Provides €30m aid Sudan, S. Kordofan & Blue Nile

EU Spokesperson to Asharq Al-Awsat Says Supports Removing Sudan from Terror List
Report from Asharq Al-Awsat - aawsat.com
Dated Saturday 29 February 2020, 07:00
Photo: EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell. (Reuters)

The European Union will continue its efforts to remove Sudan from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, announced Virginie Battu-Henriksson, Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the European Commission

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat in Brussels, she said the EU welcomes recent progress between Washington and Khartoum in this regard.

She made her remarks hours ahead of an anticipated visit by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell to Khartoum.

Battu-Henriksson said Borrell will stress to Sudanese officials that the EU will continue to play an active role in supporting the political transition in Sudan as it pursues political and economic reform.

The EU will continue to stand by the Sudanese people as they work towards democracy, peace and stability, she added.

Borrell will travel to Sudan on Saturday. He will meet Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and the Chairman of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and bring a message of support to the civilian transition.

He will also meet in Khartoum with Foreign Ministers from member countries of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD).

On Sunday, Borrell will visit a camp for Internally Displaced People in Darfur.

In a visit to Brussels in November, Hamdok said Sudan does not sponsor terrorism, stressing the importance of cooperation with Europe in removing it from the US terror list.

He said this goal was a priority for the Sudanese government and that it can be achieved with European support.

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Sudan: European Union provides €30 million in humanitarian assistance
Article by European Union
Dated Sunday 01 March 2020 
Photo: Terminal Dr, Juba, South Sudan (Chetan Sharma, Unsplash)
This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

The European Union provides €30 million in humanitarian funding for vulnerable people in Sudan to help address needs in the country.

The announcement comes as High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell, visited EU aid projects in El Fasher, North Darfur, one of the conflict-affected areas in Sudan. “The European Union continues to stand in solidarity with the people in need in Sudan. Our humanitarian assistance notably helps children get access to education, which is crucial to build a better future. In time of crisis, it is fundamental that our humanitarian partners can fully exercise their lifesaving job. We welcome the recent positive steps taken by the Sudanese transitional government to ensure this.”

Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management, said: “Helping those most in need is our priority. Our new aid package will provide food and nutritional assistance, shelter, emergency healthcare, access to clean water, and education for children caught in humanitarian crises.”

The EU is a leading humanitarian donor in Sudan. Since 2011 it has allocated almost €550 million in life-saving assistance to address various humanitarian needs in the country, largely destined for the Darfur states. 

The new funding will also support delivery of aid in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, areas that have been cut off from international assistance for years.

Background
More than 9 million people in Sudan are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance, with access to food remaining a major humanitarian concern. Nearly 2 million people in Sudan are still uprooted from their homes, while the country itself hosts over 1 million refugees who rely mostly on humanitarian aid for their survival. The EU complements its humanitarian funding with development assistance that helps communities build resilience to increase people’s access to social protection in the long-term.

The bulk of EU humanitarian aid in Sudan provides food assistance and nutritional care as many households struggle to afford enough food to meet their needs. The EU also contributes to treating and preventing malnutrition among children under 5 years of age, and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. Support for protection assistance remains also key, in particular for internally displaced people and refugees.
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European Union announces additional €100m for Sudan
Article from and by Sudan Tribune.com
Dated Sunday 01 March 2020

(KHARTOUM) - Josep Borrell, the new EU foreign policy chief, Saturday announced an additional €100 million support to Hamdok’s government to meet the most urgent needs for democratic transition in Sudan.
Photo: Josep Borrell new EU foreign policy chief (L) shakes hand with Sudanese premier Abdallah Hamdok on 29 Feb 2020 (ST photo)

Borrell who is in a two-day visit in Khartoum reiterated the European Union’s commitment to supporting the democratic and economic transition in Sudan which is a country of origin and transition for refugees and migrants moving to Europe.

Following his arrival to Khartoum, the Spanish diplomat met with the head of the Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok to discuss ways political and economic they EU can provide to Sudan’s transitional institution

Following his meeting with Hamdok, he posted a tweet announcing an additional EUR 100 million packages of EU support for the transition and economic reform process.

In a separate statement, Jutta Urpilainen, the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships said the European assistance to Sudan aims at supporting economic reforms, economic opportunities for youth and women, and the peace process and democratic governance.

"This new package of financial assistance will help the Sudanese Government to implement critical economic reforms required to create jobs and expand the provision of public services across the country, and to provide an opportunity for the youth and women at the forefront of change in Sudan", said Urpilainen.

The additional €100 million will be given disbursed through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa’ (EUTF for Africa).

Through the same fund for Africa, the EU already provided a €7 million support to the office of the Prime Minister, €35 million to bolster the country’s social protection system.

Also, the EU allocated €60 million to fund development projects in Sudan for this 2020.

In October 2019, an EU delegation pledged that EU will give Sudan €200 million followed by €141 million at a later date. They also agreed to provide Sudan with €100 million and 25 million as humanitarian aid.

European diplomats have launched calls to remove Sudan from the U.S. terror list to allow the international financial institutions to support economic reforms in the East African country which ravaged by civil wars and corruption.

The visiting EU diplomat also held a meeting with the IGAD ministers to discuss the joint partnership with the region countries on migration and climate change.

The EU has already paid over €500 million for development programmes dealing with migration and forced displacement in the region.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

A controversial conference on Eritrea and the Horn of Africa in Brussels

In its “A Week in the Horn” report, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) raised issues on the Saudi Arabia – East African Partnership Forum, the preparation of Africa's Committee for the Copenhagen Conference, Ethiopia-Djibouti High Level Joint Commission, a controversial conference on Eritrea and the need of action in Somalia.

Source: (Ethiopia) Waltainfo.com - Government statement - A controversial conference on Eritrea and the Horn of Africa in Brussels - Saturday, 21 November 2009.