There will be no normalisation of relations between the EU and Sudan until a transitional civilian authority is in place, the EU Council stressed in a statement adopted on Monday 17 June in Brussels, following a discussion by EU foreign ministers. The exchange was preceded by a videoconference with the African Union Special Envoy for Sudan, Mohamed El Hacen Lebatt (see EUROPE 12275/19).
“It is very important for us to send a clear message”, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini told the press.
The EU strongly condemns the violent attacks on 3 June, which resulted in many deaths and injuries among civilians demonstrating peacefully, as well as sexual and gender-based violence.
“The responsibility for this clearly lies with the Transitional Military Council (TMC) as the authority responsible for the protection of the population. All human rights violations and abuses that have occurred must be investigated with independence and transparency, and the perpetrators held accountable”, the EU Council said.
The EU calls for an immediate end to all violence, the immediate release of members of the Forces for Freedom and Change and other civilians who have recently been arrested and imprisoned, as well as the lifting of restrictions on fundamental freedoms.
“Deeply concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation”, the EU will continue to “respond to the needs of the population” and calls for the immediate removal of “obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid, including in Khartoum”.
The EU calls on TMC and the Forces for Freedom and Change to resume negotiations immediately. It supports the mediation efforts of the AU Special Envoy, in cooperation with Ethiopia, to facilitate the resumption of talks. The EU also welcomes the AU's decision to suspend Sudan's participation in all its activities until the effective establishment of a transitional civilian authority.
It assures that it will “support Sudan in addressing social, economic and political challenges and in implementing the necessary reforms” and that it will provide “assistance accordingly” when Sudan has begun a process of transition to civilian rule. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)