EU pledges support for Sudan’s national dialogue process
November 19, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The European Union (EU) mission in Sudan has affirmed that Europe will remain a key partner for development in Sudan, also reiterating its support for the national dialogue initiative launched by Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir in January.
The EU ambassador in Sudan Tomas Ulicny, who met with the Sudanese presidential assistant Jalal al-Digair on Wednesday, expressed EU’s commitment to supporting the dialogue and create an enabling environment to build trust among all Sudanese parties to achieve reconciliation, stability and permanent peace in the country.
He underscored that the EU will remain a major partner to development in Sudan and supportive of national dialogue, which includes all Sudanese parties.
The EU official also underscored the need for the success of dialogue in order to achieve peaceful reform in Sudan, expressing hope for the success of talks between the government and the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) on South Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
Al-Digair has called for an increase in the EU’s development aid to Sudan in the coming years away from the Cotonou agreement, stressing that national dialogue is a strategic issue in order to address all of Sudan’s problems.
He urged the EU to play a pivotal role in supporting the national dialogue process in the country, and increase cooperation projects between the two sides and move from humanitarian aid to reconstruction and development aid.
The Cotonou agreement offers a framework for the EU’s cooperation relations for the economic, social and cultural development of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP).
(ST)