Sudan: FFC says attacks in El Geneina, W. Darfur killing 80+ and displacing 47,000+ was not tribal

Photo: A picture taken during the attacks by Arab herders on camps and villages near El Geneina on December 29-30 (RD)

FFC West Darfur delegation: ‘Violence fomented by deep state’

Report from Radio Dabanga.org

Dated 06 January 2020 - EL GENEINA

The delegation of the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) that concluded a three-day visit to West Darfur yesterday, said that the violence in El Geneina last week that killed more than 80 people and displaced at least 47,000 was not tribal.

Dr Maryam El Sadig, co-vice president of the National Umma Party (NUP) and member of the FFC delegation, told the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) yesterday that all members of the delegation agreed on this.

She said that the attacks on the two Kerending camps, surrounding villages, and districts near the state capital El Geneina, were the result of “elements of the deep state achieving their personal interests”.

El Sadig said the people the delegation spoke to assured them of their commitment to peaceful coexistence, non-aggression, adherence to the law, and the spirit of the revolution.

‘Situation contained’

The acting military governor of West Darfur said that the efforts of the Sovereign Council and the Council of Ministers to contain the situation have been successful. They managed to address “90 per cent of the causes of the problems”. He claimed arrangements are underway to reach an ultimate solution.

The curfew has been lifted to open the way for humanitarian organisations to deliver aid to those affected.

The governor also said the markets have reopened and commercial trucks that had been stranded in Zalingei because of the violence are arriving from Omdurman.

Many of the victims blame ‘janjaweed’ or ‘militant herders in vehicles belonging to the Rapid Support Forces militia’ for the violence. They also claim the West Darfur state government had prior knowledge of the attacks that started on December 28 and did nothing to prevent or stop it.

Attorney General Tajelsir El Hibir appointed a fact-finding investigation committee into the El Geneina violence on Thursday. El Hibir took part in the government delegation that visited El Geneina last week in order to assess the situation.

Earlier today, El Hibir announced that the investigation committee has started its work. It will do so “in full neutrality, transparent and highly professional” and it is “ready to receive complaints from the public”.

Aid

The Businessmen’s Association announced the launch of a “They Are Relatives” initiative to help the victims of the El Geneina attacks.

The Association's information secretary, Mohamed El Amin Tebeidi, said at a press conference in Khartoum on Sunday that the association “so far collected more than SDG 1 million to support those affected with food and medicines”.

The businessmen also plan to set up a campaign in the area raising awareness of the importance of peace, spreading love, lending a hand, helping families affected by the war in the region, and removing grievances.

Sudanese activists started solidarity projects last week.

Members of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan (OCHA) visited El Geneina, as part of a broader delegation, which included government officials from the Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Social Development and Welfare, and representatives of WFP and Unicef.

According to OCHA some 40.000 people have been displaced. Approximately 5,000 people have crossed the border into Chad, seeking refuge in villages near the border with Sudan.

View Original: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/ffc-west-darfur-delegation-violence-fomented-by-deep-state

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High Committee: ‘West Darfur crisis not tribal’

Report from Radio Dabanga.org

Dated 09 January 2020 - EL GENEINA / KHARTOUM

Photo: Displaced children play among salvaged belongings after the violence in El Geneina (RD)

The High Committee for Managing the West Darfur Crisis, which began on December 28, 2019 around El Geneina, and claimed dozens of lives last month, asserts that “the events were not tribal, as has been reported by the media”. International humanitarian efforts are underway to assist more than 40,000 people displaced by the violence.

On Wednesday, the committee said in a press conference held at the Teiba Press Hall in Khartoum that based on evidence and facts, such as audio recordings, written evidence, and a statement by the University of El Geneina, in addition to the circumstantial facts in the place of the events, such as killing, fire, rape, and theft, confirm that the events are not tribal.

The committee holds the responsibility for the incidents to “the state’s governor, the security committee, and other defendants”.

Member of the committee, lawyer Abdo reported that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) government militia in El Geneina is holding members of the regular forces and civilians.

He said that these detainees have not been charged. He described the step as a crime, noting that the RSF do not have the jurisdiction to detain any person, and demanded that the authorities release the detainees immediately.

The High Committee for the Management of West Darfur Crisis stated that 180 cases of assault with gunfire, nine cases of murder, three cases of rape, and 18 armed robberies in West Darfur preceded the recent events.

The committee noted in the conference that throughout these events, individuals or groups did not move to attack an ethnic group, village or settlement in a sign that affirming that the events were not tribal.

The committee appealed to international organisations and others to contribute to resolving the crisis, noting that the affected people are now in urgent need for tents, shelter, water, food, and health services.

View Original: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/high-committee-west-darfur-crisis-not-tribal

Coronavirus Covid-19: First case reported in Sudan

On Thursday March 12 Sudan stopped issuing visas and flights to eight countries - including Italy and neighbouring Egypt - over fears of the coronavirus outbreak. Bus trips to Egypt have also been suspended.

Sudan's health ministry reports death of man who returned from UAE earlier this month. Read more:

Coronavirus: First case reported in Sudan

Report from and by Middle East Eye and agencies

Dated Friday 13 March 2020 

Sudan reported its first confirmed coronavirus case on Friday, as the pandemic continued to spread through the African continent, which until recently had been relatively unscathed.

In a statement, the health ministry said that a man in his 50s had died in the capital Khartoum after being diagnosed with the virus following a visit to the United Arab Emirates in the first week of March.

On Thursday, Sudan stopped issuing visas and flights to eight countries - including Italy and neighbouring Egypt - over fears of the coronavirus outbreak.

Bus trips to Egypt have also been suspended.

Kenya, Ethiopia and Guinea also confirmed their first cases of the new coronavirus on Friday, giving the disease a foothold in 18 countries in Africa.

Africa had so far largely been spared the rapid spread of COVID-19, which has infected at least 127,000 and killed 4,700 worldwide.

Most of Africa's reported cases were foreigners or people who had travelled abroad. Rapid testing and quarantines have been put in place to limit transmission.

But concerns are growing about the continent's ability to handle the disease.

Cases have been reported in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Most of these countries' totals are still in single figures.

View Original: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/coronavirus-sudan-first-case-reported-returned-uae

S. Sudan: Countess of Wessex becomes first member of the British Royal Family to visit South Sudan

Report from Royal Central.co.uk

By Jess Ilse 06 March 2020

The Countess of Wessex becomes first member of the Royal Family to visit South Sudan

Photo: The Countess of Wessex is visiting South Sudan this week, focusing on issues related to girls and women’s rights, to coincide with International Women’s Day. 

“The Countess’s visit, during International Women’s Week, will promote the rights of women and girls, through education, inclusivity at leadership level and by tackling sexual and gender-based violence,” according to Buckingham Palace. 

“During her visit, Her Royal Highness will meet survivors of gender-based violence to learn about the impact of the conflict and hear about the ongoing challenges faced by displaced women and girls. The Countess will also join a conversation with men who are engaged in a programme to bring greater gender equality into their homes and communities by supporting each other and challenging the societal issue.” 

The UK Embassy in Juba, South Sudan, has been posting about Sophie’s visit on Twitter, billing it as a way to “to champion women’s role in peacebuilding, to see how progress is being made to tackle sexual and gender-based violence and to promote girls’ education.” 

Among her engagements so far, Sophie has met with church leaders at the South Sudan Council of Churches to hear about how they engage women and work towards “local peacebuilding efforts” that include promoting peace and ending violence against women and girls. The UK Embassy tweeted, “Religious leaders must continue to play an important role in promoting a peaceful future.” 

She has also visited a project set up by the International Medical Corps, with UK aid from the Department for International Development, called the Women and Girls’ Friendly Space, in Malakal. The Space works to help women and girls who have been displaced by conflict. 

The International Medical Corps tweeted about her visit, writing that they appreciated Sophie’s “efforts to amplify the voices of the women and girls in Malakal, South Sudan, who are rebuilding after years of civil war.” 

Afterwards, Sophie met men taking the Engaging Men Through Accountable Practices programme, which educates them about gender equality and gives them tools to help women and girls in their families and communities.

Sophie also visited the Malakal Engineering Group, a part of the 75 Engineer Regiment based in South Sudan, which is working to help women and girls through the teaching of self-defence and infrastructure repair, including upgrading a road to ensure that women don’t have far to walk to collect food. 

On Thursday, Sophie visited the Juba Diocesan Model Secondary School, a school that is supported by Girls’ Education South Sudan and the Department for International Development and UK aid. The school empowers girls through education and the organisation posted on Facebook that they were “honoured to have HRH The Countess of Wessex visit a GESS-supported school this morning.”

Sophie met with teachers and students to hear more about the learning environment. So far, Girls’ Education South Sudan has helped keep over a quarter of a million girls in school. 

Sophie also met with Her Excellency Rebecca Nyandeng Garang, the first female Vice President of the country, to talk about equality and how women can be active participants in public life. 

Sophie is the first member of the Royal Family to visit South Sudan, which is the world’s newest recognised sovereign state, having gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Upon arrival to the country earlier this week, she was screened at the airport for coronavirus symptoms.

ABOUT AUTHOR Jess Ilse

Jess is a communications professional and freelance writer who lives in Halifax and has a passion for all things royal, particularly the British Royal Family.

View Original: https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/the-countess-of-wessex-becomes-first-member-of-the-royal-family-to-visit-south-sudan-138691/

S. Sudan buries reports on oil pollution, birth defects

South Sudan buries reports on oil pollution, birth defects

Report from Journal Record.com

By Associated Press 

Dated Friday 13 March 2020

The oil industry in South Sudan has left a landscape pocked with hundreds of open waste pits, the water and soil contaminated with toxic chemicals and heavy metals, according to four environmental reports obtained by The Associated Press.

View Original: https://journalrecord.com/2020/03/13/south-sudan-buries-reports-on-oil-pollution-birth-defects/

Sudan: Getting quick debt relief & credit seems bleak

• On his return from his recent trip to Washington DC, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said that the transitional government will be closing the offices of both Hamas and Hezbollah, designated by the US as terrorist groups.
• By remaining on the list, Sudan is prevented from accessing the much-need $10bn in aid it was hoping to raise to repair the battered economy.
• According to professor David Shinn, a former US diplomat and an expert on Sudanese affairs, the US is keeping Sudan on the SST list to see how the transitional government will bring the RSF under its control. 
• As it will take more than three years to remove Sudan from the SST list, the hope to get immediate debt relief and credit seems bleak. Read more:

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Sudan needs US support – both diplomatic and economic

Opinion Piece from The Africa Report.com

Published Monday 10 February 2020 09:51, updated Tuesday 11 February 2020 16:10

By Jihad Mashamoun (pictured below) Doctoral candidate of Middle East Politics within the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies of the University of Exeter, England, United Kingdom

The Sudanese government is working hard to get itself removed from the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST) in order to get much-needed investment into the country.

On his return from his recent trip to Washington DC, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said that the transitional government will be closing the offices of both Hamas and Hezbollah, designated by the US as terrorist groups.

By remaining on the list, Sudan is prevented from accessing the much-needed $10bn in aid it was hoping to raise to repair the battered economy.

Although Hamdok’s visit to the US was certainly positive – the US agreed to upgrade its diplomatic representation to the ambassador level – removing Sudan from the US list will take longer than the three-year period of the transitional government.

So what are the implications of the US keeping Sudan in its SST list? How could the US help Sudan overcome those obstacles?

From a distance

As the US does not want the bloody crackdown on protesters of 3 June to occur again, Makila James, deputy assistant secretary for East Africa and the Sudans, has informed US House officials that the government is looking at options including sanctions should similar events occur.

That pressured the Transitional Military Council (TMC) to reach an agreement with the opposition. However, the US remains uneasy about the inclusion of the military in the transition process.

That is because the transitional process includes military elements of the former regime of president Omar al-Bashir.

Those elements include Lt. General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the former chairman of the TMC, and Lt. General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ‘Hemeti’, former deputy chairman of the TMC and who is the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Both military leaders have been implicated in the genocide that took place in Darfur in 2014 [Sudan Watch Ed: stating that genocide took place in Darfur in 2014 is an error, it should read 2004 not 2014 - also, as far as I am aware, genocide in Darfur has not been proven in a court of law. In my view, the Darfur war, reportedly starting in 2003, was a horrific counter-insurgency costing 300,000-400,000 lives and badly affecting and displacing millions of other Darfuris]. Moreover, the independence of Lt. General Hemeti and his RSF from the Sudanese Armed Forces has been a cause of concern US officials, especially since the emptying of the protest site in front of the Sudanese military headquarters on 3 June.

According to professor David Shinn, a former US diplomat and an expert on Sudanese affairs, the US is keeping Sudan on the SST list to see how the transitional government will bring the RSF under its control.

What about the security establishment?

Another point of concern for US officials is the hold of the former regime over the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), which has been recently revamped into the General Intelligence Services (GIS).

The US included Sudan on the SST list in 1990s even though its Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had joint operations with the NISS, which was headed by Salah Abdallah ‘Gosh’ at the time. In 2005, the CIA flew him into its headquarters as a reward for Sudan’s support in detaining suspected militants and providing information on Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda following the 11 September 2001 attacks.

In the 1990s, Sudan invited and hosted Bin Laden. The US had deemed him a threat for his planning of the attack on the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. The US attack on the Shifa pharmaceutical factory in 1998 was a turning point where Sudan abandoned Bin Laden by attempting to hand him over to the CIA.

Thereafter, the Bashir regime decided to work with the US intelligence agencies to repair the relationship between the two countries and to remove Sudan from the SST list.

One of the central individuals who was tasked with supporting ties with the US was the controversial Salah Gosh. He and the Bashir regime helped the CIA in counter-terrorism operations.

With the removal of Salah Gosh from his position as head of the NISS, the US has concerns about its counter-terrorism partner.

On 2 December, Cameron Hudson, who was a former US diplomat and former chief of staff of the George Bush administration, said the US worries that Salah Gosh has supporters who could undermine the country’s reform efforts.

The recent mutiny of the operations unit of the GIS shows that the US’s fears were well founded.

That is because it became apparent that Lt. General Mustafa Abubakr Dambalab, who was appointed as the chief of the GIS, was a supporter of Salah Gosh. 

Salah Gosh founded the operations unit of the NISS in 2005.

Sources say Salah Gosh manipulated the operations unit to mutiny and to try to instigate a coup as Lt. General Hemeti on 13 January 2020.

Sailing into safer waters

As the recent mutiny has shown that the supporters of the former regime will continue to threaten the transition process by creating insecurity, it is apparent that the inclusion of Sudan on the SST list is also threatening the transition process.

As it will take more than three years to remove Sudan from the SST list, the hope to get immediate debt relief and credit seems bleak.

However, to help guide Sudan’s transitional process into safe waters, there are a series of immediate measures that could satisfy the immediate goals of both Sudan and the US:

• 1.  As fellow Sudanese have understandably great expectations, the US could help Hamdok’s government in managing the expectations of the population by appointing a pro-active ambassador.
• It is recommended that the ambassador work with both the Sudanese government and the governing Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces party in communicating clearly what the US expects from Sudan.
• 2.  The US could help address Sudan’s security problems by working with its regional allies to hand over Salah Gosh and other members of the former regime to Sudan so that they can face prosecution for the crimes they committed against the people since 30 June 1989.
• 3.  While Hamdok’s government has been operating with public support so far, removing fuel and food subsidies to balance the books will undermine it. Therefore, rather than following policies driven by the narrow economic agenda of the World Bank and IMF, the government and the international community could work together in retrieving the billions of dollars that the former regime leaders have stashed outside Sudan.

View Original: https://www.theafricareport.com/23171/sudan-needs-us-support-both-diplomatic-and-economic/

Sudan: German President Steinmeier visits Khartoum - Germany involved in UN Missions in Sudan, S. Sudan

German President Steinmeier’s visit boosts Sudan bid against isolation

Report from monitor.co.ug

Dated Saturday, 29 February 2020

Photo: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s visit to Khartoum this week has become the latest marketing tool for the transitional government to help Sudan out of international isolation.

Mr Steinmeier became the first German President to visit Khartoum since 1985, and is the highest ranked global leader to visit Sudan since the ouster of Omar al-Bashir last April.

His two-day trip from Thursday has left authorities excited and hoping it could further improve the country's image.

Sudan is still struggling to get off the US sanctions list.

In Khartoum, the German leader met Abdul Fattah Al-Burhan, the leader of the Transitional Sovereign Council, as well as Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

“I am here to say that we are happy with the changes in Sudan and public opinion is interested in that as well,” Steinmeier said.

He urged the international community to help the country to rebuild.

“We know the difficult economic situation and Sudan needs access to international financial institutions,” Steinmeier told a joint press conference with Premier Hamdok on Thursday.

“I assured Hamdok that Germany can be relied on and pointed out the economic potentials…Germany is ready to support the peace process.”

The German leader had visited Burkina Faso and Kenya this week, promising support for development and trade.

Germany, for example, has announced that it will increase its contribution towards fighting locust invasion in East Africa, providing an additional $18.7 million to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, increasing its total commitment to $21.99 million.

But in Sudan, where food shortage and hard economic times have been felt just as much, the problem is the restriction to international assistance. 

Officially, the US lists Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism and a USA Court has issued a verdict demanding that Khartoum pays families of victims of a US warship bombed in Yemen in 2001. The terror merchants of that incident were reportedly trained in Sudan, where then al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden was living in the 1980s.

President Steinmeier’s visit indicated thawing relations between Germany and Sudan, which had been in a lull for the three decades of Omar al-Bashir’s rule.

Prime Minister Hamdok said Berlin’s decision to lift the development ban on Sudan establishes strong ties.

View Original: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/africa/German-President-Steinmeier-s-visit-boosts-Sudan-bid-against-isolation-881575

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Germany Extends Involvement in UN Missions in Sudan, S. Sudan Until 2018

Report from Sputnik News

Dated 02 November 2015, 14:46

Bundeswehr's involvement in the United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), and the UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) will be extended until the end of 2017, maintaining a regular level of staff, up to 50 soldiers at each point, according to government spokesman Steffen Seibert.

BERLIN (Sputnik) — The German Cabinet has decided to extend the Bundeswehr's involvement in the United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), and the UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) until the end of 2017, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, an independent inquiry revealed that the UN peacekeeping mission had certain shortcomings in South Sudan, and failed to properly protect hundreds of civilians. Following the inquiry's publication, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki moon pledged to introduce additional measures to improve the mission and bolster its protection capabilities.

"In both cases, the German part amounted largely to guiding and advising tasks, in both cases it will be extended until the end of 2017, maintaining a regular level of staff, up to 50 soldiers at each point," Seibert said.

According to him, the Bundeswehr mission in Sudan would remain part of long-term efforts for "a lasting settlement of the conflict and stabilization of peace consolidation in the region."

UNAMID was deployed to Sudan's western region of Darfur in 2007, which has been engaged in an armed conflict between rebel groups and the government of Sudan since 2003. The rebels accused authorities of oppressing Darfur's non-Arab population, to which the government initially responded by ethnic cleansing.

South Sudan, which separated from Sudan in 2011, has been engaged in an armed ethnic conflict since 2013, when President Salva Kiir said that a military coup had been planned in the country, pointing the blame squarely at rebel leader Rijek Mashar. Apart from killing scores of people, the conflict has put the country on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.

UNMISS was deployed to South Sudan in July 2011, initially for a year, but its deployment was later extended.

View Original: https://sputniknews.com/africa/201611021047001055-un-mission0sudan/

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PHOTOS: German Air Force Returns From AMIS Mission In Sudan (March 2006)

LANDSBERG, GERMANY - MARCH 24: A German Transall C-160 Military plane parks on an airfield after the return from a mission in Sudan, Africa, on March 24, 2006 at the airbase in Penzing near Landsberg, Germany. The mission in Sudan called "African Union Mission in Sudan" (AMIS), and is the support to move 500 soldiers from Tschad to Sudan. (Photos by Jan Pitman/Getty Images)

LANDSBERG, GERMANY - MARCH 24: German soldiers stand in front of a Transall C-160 military plane after their return from a mission in Sudan, Africa, on March 24, 2006 at the airbase in Penzing near Landsberg, Germany. The mission in Sudan called "African Union Mission in Sudan" (AMIS), and is the support to move 500 soldiers from Tschad to Sudan. (Photo by Jan Pitman/Getty Images)

Photo: LANDSBERG, GERMANY - MARCH 24, 2006: German soldiers stand in front of a Transall C-160 military plane after their return from a mission in Sudan, Africa, on March 24, 2006 at the airbase in Penzing near Landsberg, Germany. The mission in Sudan called "African Union Mission in Sudan" (AMIS), and is the support to move 500 soldiers from Tschad to Sudan. (Photo by Jan Pitman/Getty Images) © AP Photo / Jan Pitman

SOURCE: https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/german-soldiers-stand-in-front-of-a-transall-c-160-military-news-photo/57173279

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FURTHER READING

Sudan Watch - March 23 2006

Germany approves peacekeeping troops to Sudan

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2006/03/germany-approves-peacekeeping-troops.html

Sudan Watch - December 15, 2006

German parliament gives green light to extending Sudan mission

https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2006/12/german-parliament-gives-green-light-to.html

Sudan Watch - May 16, 2005

German military observers fail to get visas for Sudan

Deployment of German military observers to southern Sudan may be delayed. So far, the Sudanese government has issued entry visas to hardly any of the soldiers who are supposed to help with monitoring the peace agreement in the African country as of mid-May.

According to the German news magazine Der Spiegel, the reason for the delay is occasionally seen in the pressure exerted by German diplomacy.

Germany had pilloried the human rights violations in the crisis region of Darfur early and contributed to making the brutal civil war an issue in the UN Security Council, which adopted sanctions.

The UN in New York has now noticed that other Western members of the UN mission have not received the entry visas necessary for southern Sudan, either.

This makes it difficult for the UN to station 10,000 soldiers in Africa's largest country as soon as possible.

One of a total of some 50 German soldiers has meanwhile arrived in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, another four are in Nairobi, Kenya, for preparations. - BBC via Sudan Tribune Berlin, Germany, May 15, 2005. 

Source: https://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2005/05/aid-to-sudan-depends-on-peace-in.html

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.

View Original: https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2155316/eu-spokesperson-asharq-al-awsat-says-supports-removing-sudan-terror-list

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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.

View Original:
https://europeansting.com/2020/03/01/sudan-european-union-provides-e30-million-in-humanitarian-assistance/

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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.

View Original: https://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article69046

Sudan: UN chief wants Sudan dropped from terror list

Getty Images/BBC World Service

UN chief Mr Antonio Guterres said post-Bashir Sudan needs support in its political transition 

UN chief wants Sudan dropped from terror list

Report by BBC World Service

Dated 10 February 2020 5:08

The UN's Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has told African leaders that it's time to remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Addressing the annual African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Mr Guterres said the UN would drum up international support that would enable the country to overcome its challenges.

Sudan is being welcomed back into the international fold following the toppling last year of the former president, Omar al-Bashir.

The leaders at the summit will discuss an African-led peace effort to end the civil war in Libya.

They will also consider how to tackle worsening militant insurgencies across Africa.

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cq23pdgvgm8t/sudan