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European Union pledges to release €466mn for Sudan

EU delegation led by J. Christophe Belliard  (R to the minister) received by Foreign Minister Asman Abdallah (R) on 30 October 2019 (SUNA photo)
EU delegation led by J. Christophe Belliard (R to the minister) received by Foreign Minister Asman Abdallah (R) on 30 October 2019 (SUNA photo)

October 30, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The European Union will release €466 million ($520mn) in economic and humanitarian support to the Sudanese transitional government, said the foreign ministry in Khartoum on Wednesday.

A high-level delegation of the European Union led by Jean-Christophe Belliard, Deputy Secretary-General of the European Union External Action Service Wednesday started a two-day visit to the Sudanese capital for talks with the government officials.

“The purpose of the visit is to continue the dialogue with the Sudanese government and support, as well as the political and civil forces in Sudan and how the EU can support them in these fixes of momentous change,” said the EU delegation in Sudan in a statement released the arrival of the delegation.

The visiting delegation plans to meet with Prime Minister Hamdok and several ministers in the transitional government, members of the Sovereign Council, the Forces for Freedom and Change, UN agencies and international organizations implementing the EU projects in Sudan.

Sudanese foreign ministry said the EU delegation met with the Foreign Minister Asma Abdallah and affirmed its support to the transitional government at this critical stage of the Sudanese history and pledged to consider it needs and support development projects.

Further, the delegation stressed that the “EU will coordinate with international financial institutions to meet Sudan urgent needs and support the Sudanese economy”.

“They affirmed that the countries of the European Union will provide Sudan with a grant of €200 million and will later provide €141 million as well as €100 million and €25 million in humanitarian aid,” said the foreign ministry.

For his part, Robert van den Dool, new EU Ambassador to Khartoum, underscored in that this second high level visit to Sudan in one month aimed at getting acquainted with the Sudanese government’s efforts to achieve peace and stability and economic recovery in the transitional period and to see how EU can best support the governments priorities.

“The second goal is to reach a common vision with the Sudanese government on the EU role and support in the coming period,” he added as they plan to coordinate with the regional and international community to provide Sudan with needed technical, financial and political support.

The Friends of Sudan, including the EU and several European countries, on Monday 21 October agreed to establish a multi-donor trust fund to support Sudanese government economic reforms.

The participants pledged to support the quick impact projects proposed by the Sudanese government but also they begin a review of potential mid to longer-term reforms that the Friends of Sudan could support, in a coordinated manner.

(ST)

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