The international community stands “alongside the government and the people of Sudan”, reiterating on Thursday 25 June its support for the political transition and economic reforms underway in Sudan to help ensure the success of the transition, which it is hoped will lead to a more prosperous and democratic Sudan.
Given the magnitude of the challenges facing the country in terms of sustainable peace, security, economic and social development, and humanitarian needs, these assurances were accompanied by financial pledges from all participants, including 40 countries and international organisations, on Thursday 25 June at the Partnership Conference with Sudan, which was co-organised by the UN, the EU, Germany and the Government of Sudan and held by videoconference (see EUROPE 12513/22).
“The pledges totalled US$1.8 billion, with a strong focus on the Sudanese family support programme and US$400 million from the World Bank”, announced German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas at the end of the Berlin conference.
“The door is open for Sudan’s reintegration into the multilateral financial system”, he added, thanking the World Bank and IMF for their constructive approach. Another conference is expected to be held next year to increase this support.
The amount pledged exceeded the hopes of the Sudanese Prime Minister, Abdallah Hamdok. Many countries have called for debt relief for Sudan and for its removal from the list of countries supporting terrorism, so that it can integrate into the world economy.
At the opening of the conference, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said that the EU cannot “fail the Sudanese people” and that the world needs a democratic Sudan.
Welcoming the remarkable progress made by the Sudanese government, he called on all political forces to support Abdallah Hamdok and on all armed groups “not to miss this opportunity to support a new Sudan”. He also expressed the EU’s readiness to assist in the organisation of elections in 2022, which should lead to the democratic transition.
The European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, has announced €60.5 million in humanitarian aid, including €31.5 million for 2020.
Emergency medical supplies and medical teams carried by the EU Humanitarian Airlift arrived in Khartoum on the eve of the conference, thanks to cooperation between the European Commission, Sweden, France and the humanitarian logistics network.
As part of the EU’s overall response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the most vulnerable non-Member States, €120 million has been mobilised for Sudan.
The European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, underlined that a financing agreement for €11.5 million was signed on Wednesday 24 June with the Government of Sudan and the WHO, of which €10 million is funded by the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.
“Sudan will remain a priority country in 2021 and beyond”, she said, pledging a total of €312 million in aid, including €251 million for economic and social development and €23 million to support the establishment of a social protection system.
EU Member States have also made individual pledge commitments. France is prepared to organise a conference in Paris to provide political and economic support for Sudan’s transition, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced.
Since the civilian government took office at the beginning of September 2019, the EU has provided Sudan with €88 million in development assistance to support political and economic reforms and to contribute to stability and peace. Aid to humanitarian organisations has amounted to some €550 million since 2011. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)