Hamdok, EU top diplomats to discuss economic support for Sudan
November 7, 2019 (PARIS) – Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok will discuss with European Union foreign ministers ways to support economic and political reforms in a meeting to held in Brussels on 11 November 2019.
According to a statement issued by the EU Council on Thursday, the foreign ministers will discuss with the Sudanese Prime Minister Hamdok “ways in which the EU could play an active role in supporting and consolidating the political transition in Sudan”.
The European top diplomats “are expected to express the EU’s willingness to assist the country in putting in place necessary political and economic reforms to achieve the goals outlined and to reaffirm its political commitment to the civilian transition,” further said the statement.
On 30 October, an EU delegation led by Jean-Christophe Belliard, Deputy Secretary-General of the European Union External Action Service held talks with the Sudanese government officials on ways to support Sudan and pledged that the EU will release €466 million ($520mn) in economic and humanitarian support to Sudan.
The statement said the foreign ministers will reaffirm the EU’s commitment to providing economic and technical support and humanitarian assistance to meet both Sudan’s urgent as well as long-term needs in continued coordination with other international actors.
“The possibility of establishing a regular EU-Sudan political dialogue may also be discussed,” further said the statement.
EU officials and diplomats from several European countries took part on 21 October in a meeting of the Friends of Sudan group in Washington to discuss ways to set up a plan to support Sudan after long years of international isolation and sanctions and civil war following the collapse of the al-Bashir regime.
During that meeting, Sudanese Minister of Economy Ibrahim al-Badawi presented a 200-day recovery plan and requested donor support for its implementation.
The group which include international financial organisations three Gulf states, EU countries and the USA will meet next December to announce their commitments in this respect another meeting is planned for a donor conference next year.
(ST)