MEPs debated the crisis in Sudan at a plenary session of the European Parliament on Tuesday 8 October, with several of them describing the situation as a “human tragedy”.
The extreme violence and food insecurity caused by the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue to devastate the country, leading to major population movements in the region. Different solutions emerged from across the political spectrum in Parliament.
Lukas Mandl (EPP, Austrian) stressed that “this crisis is serious for Sudan, but also for the EU, when it comes to illegal migration and destabilisation”, calling for more proactive action by the European Union.
Criticising the international response to a conflict “treated as a footnote”, Francisco Assis (S&D, Portuguese) called on the EU to refer the matter to the UN Security Council. “The forces involved don’t want to negotiate”, he lamented.
Barry Andrews (Renew Europe, Irish) criticised the incoherence of European policy. “Global Gateway is the EU’s big idea, but it has nothing to do with Sudan. We all know that aid budgets have been slashed by the European Commission and EU Member States, and we will pay the price”, he warned.
Lastly, Ana Miranda Paz (Greens/EFA, Spanish) called for greater support for the International Criminal Court to prosecute those responsible for the atrocities committed in Darfur (see EUROPE 13402/36). (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit)