European Union will not recognize Sudan’s military council: Mogherini

April 17, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, called on Tuesday for a swift handover of power to a civilian government and stressed that EU would not recognize the transitional military council.

Sudan’s transitional military council which took over power last Saturday 11 April has been under internal and external pressure to transfer it to a civilian government even if after the resignation of its former head and two others close to the regime.

Speaking at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, the High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini hailed the 4-month protests in Sudan for freedom, peace and justice.

Mogherini further voiced the support of the European Union for the aspiration of Sudanese people to liberty and warned that the political crisis would continue if the military do not implement a true transition in the east African country.

“To prevent such scenario, there has to be a swift handover to a civilian transitional government, with real decision-making authority,” she said.

“This would open the way for a peaceful, credible and inclusive political process – to finally address the Sudanese people’s demand for political and economic reforms,” stressed the European top diplomat.

The European Union has stopped economic aid to Sudan since the coup d’état of 30 June 1989 that had brought Omer al-Bashir to power.

However, following the migrant crisis in 2015, the European Union sought to establish enhanced cooperation on migration with the Horn of Africa countries, including Sudan. The Khartoum process also provided to fund concrete projects in the countries of origin and transit.

The EU official in its speech pointed to the statement by the head of the African Union Commission and the decision of the Peace and Security Council on Sudan calling for an immediate handover of power to a civilian-led transitional government within two weeks.

“Just like our African brothers and sisters, we want the transition to be managed by civilians. So we fully support the African Union’s demand and position on this issue, as on many others.”.

“As long as this is not the case, as long as the transition is not managed by civilians, the European Union will not recognise the legitimacy of the Transitional Military Council,” she concluded.

(ST)