Sudan, UN sign MoU on combating terrorism and extremism
June 20, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Ministry of Guidance and Endowments on Monday said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to coordinate efforts to fight against extremism and terrorism.
Ruedas said that the MoU included the UN Plan of Action on Preventing Violent Extremism, calling for holding workshops and conducting studies to address the root causes of the phenomenon.
She pointed to the need for making the necessary moves to tackle the problem in coordination with the relevant government bodies.
Last February, the UN the General Assembly adopted a resolution that “welcomes the initiative by the Secretary-General, and takes note of his Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism”.
The Plan is an appeal for concerted action by the international community. It provides more than 70 recommendations to Member States and the United Nations System to prevent the further spread of violent extremism.
In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday, the Ministry of Guidance said the MoU comes within the framework of its efforts to fight against the phenomena of terrorism and extremism and reduce its risks.
The Guidance Minister stressed the need for concerted efforts to combat terrorism and extremism and to take precautionary measures to confront the phenomena, pointing to the tolerant nature of the Sudanese people and their appreciation and respect for other peoples differences.
He underscored the importance to immediately transform the MoU into an action plan, pointing to the need for making efforts to change the distorted image that terrorism has portrayed about Islam and the other religions.
Last April, Khartoum hosted the International Conference on Terrorism and Sectarian Extremism in Africa which was organized by the Ministry of Guidance and Endowment in collaboration with the Muslim World League (MWL).
Presence of the extremist Islamic State (ISIS) in Sudan has made the headlines in March 2015 after several medical students from Sudanese origins fled the country to join the group.
Also, dozens of the Sudanese young people have been killed in incidents relating to the extremist group in Syria, Iraq and Libya.
Sudan was placed on the United States terrorism list in 1993 over allegations it was harbouring Islamist extremist working against regional and international targets.
In June 2015, the US State Department released the 2014 terrorism report maintaining Sudan’s status as a state sponsor of terrorism and mentioning the existence of certain terrorist groups in the country as well as links between Khartoum and some of these organizations.
(ST)