EU delegation pledges €80 million for Sudan’s eastern states

A delegation of European Ambassadors representing the European Union (EU), France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom have completed a visit to Sudan’s eastern States of Kassala and Red Sea. The programme of the visit included touring EU-funded development projects, and meetings with the local governments, leadership of the Eastern Front parties, international organisations working in the region, and the tribal and civil administration. Ambassador Tomas Ulicny, Head of Delegation of the EU to Sudan said that the visit provided information about the level of implementation of the 2006 Peace Agreement and possible future support to poverty eradication, in particular in the health, food security, agriculture, and education sectors. He added that the cooperation between Sudan and Europe in the area of migration and human trafficking needs to be enhanced. With an amount of more the €80 million, the European Union and its 28 member states are more than doubling the pledge announced for eastern Sudan. Ambassador Ulicny stressed that Sudan requires a comprehensive national dialogue and reconciliation to reflect on the development and stability in the East. During the visit, the Ambassadors of the EU and Italy signed an agreement to improve the health services with an amount of €12 million. News photo: EU Press Office, Sudan