Dutch Minister: ‘Link aid to Sudan to free elections and Al Bashir extradition

The ruling Transitional Military Council should extradite former president Al Bashir to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Netherlands and support free and fair elections after a transition period of more than nine months. Failing to do so must have consequences for the hundreds of millions of Euros that Sudan has received and is scheduled to receive the coming years to combat migration towards Europe. This is the view of the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Stef Blok, who is going to plead within the European Union for this position.

The Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Stef Blok is also in favour of sanctions against individuals that were responsible for human rights violations during the Al Bashir regime, preferably within the framework of a future ‘European Magnitsky Act’. This could involve freezing assets and visa bans.

Dutch parliament and minister Stef Blok debated the Dutch position within the European Union with regard to Sudan earlier this month.