Germany, Sudan sign for refugee projects worth €28 mln

The German ambassador for Sudan and the Sudanese government signed agreements for the implementation of projects for refugees and their host communities in El Gedaref, Kassala and South Darfur, totalling €28 million (over $32 million).

On Tuesday, both countries signed three agreements, of which the total amount includes €26 million from the German government and €2 million from the European Union. The budget is meant for vocational training centres for refugees and host communities in El Gedaref, Kassala and South Darfur.

The agreements also include the establishment of a food security project for refugees and host communities in eastern Sudan.

German Ambassador Ulrich Klockner affirmed Germany’s support for the development projects in Sudan. The director of the German Agency for Development affirmed the agency’s care for the development projects. He pointed to the importance of providing youths with skills to enter the labour market and the importance of food security in the context of climate change.

Anti-illegal migration

In July, Khartoum and the EU launched a joint initiative to combat human trafficking and illegal migration in Sudan, a main source and transit country for many refugees attempting to travel to Europe.

The Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration for Sudan was signed by the EU, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Migration Agency and the government of Sudan on Thursday in the Sudanese capital.

The initiative receives funding through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa and will be implemented by the IOM, with a budget of €45 million for the entire Horn of Africa (Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia). It runs over the course of three years.

In April 2016, the EU established the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. €100 million was set aside to tackle the root causes of instability, irregular migration and displacement. It also contained €15 million that should improve the living conditions of refugees and host communities in eastern Sudan (Kassala) and Khartoum and strengthen the capacity of local authorities.