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EU returns to Khartoum
European Union Heads of Mission concluded their first joint visit to Sudan since the outbreak of war in April 2023, with the EU delegation saying it was led by EU Ambassador to Sudan Wolfram Vetter and based temporarily in Cairo.
“The European Union delegation to South Sudan denied reports that it was seeking to delay elections in the country, as claimed by President Salva Kiir”
The visit included meetings with senior Sudanese officials, including Foreign Minister Mohyeldin Salim Ahmed Ibrahim, Prime Minister Dr. Kamil Idris, and Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sovereignty Council and commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces.
Radio Dabanga’s report by Suleiman Siri described the two-day trip to Khartoum and Port Sudan as a diplomatic event that drew controversy, with the statement saying “the visit is a sign of the deepest sympathy for all Sudanese people in light of the immense suffering they have endured over four years of war.”
The EU delegation also framed its presence as a shift toward direct engagement, with Modern Ghana writing that the EU delegation’s presence in Khartoum can be interpreted as “the beginning of a more pragmatic phase in European policy.”
De-escalation and safe access
During the trip, the envoys called for de-escalation and an immediate move toward a comprehensive ceasefire, stressing the need to ensure safe humanitarian access through corridors and protected areas for civilians.
Radio Dabanga’s report said the heads of European missions urged an immediate end to the humanitarian siege imposed on civilians and cities and demanded “the establishment of safe zones and humanitarian corridors to efficiently provide aid, security and protection to civilians.”
In the same Radio Dabanga account, Osman Mirghani, editor-in-chief of the Al Tayyar newspaper, said “There’s nothing new in it,” arguing that the final statement contained nothing new within the context of the European Union’s previous positions.
The EU delegation also expressed concern over reported violations of international humanitarian law, including incidents in El Fasher and Gezira State, and said humanitarian access restrictions must be lifted, according to Radio Tamazuj.
Unity, impunity, and mediation
The EU delegation underscored support for Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity and opposed efforts to form parallel governing authorities, while also criticising continued external military support to the warring parties as prolonging the conflict.
“Report by Suleiman Siri for Radio Dabanga A high-level delegation of heads of European Union missions, comprising 14 diplomats and headed by the head of the mission to Sudan, Wolfram Vetter, concluded a visit to Sudan, the first of its kind since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023”
Radio Dabanga reported that the heads of missions “condemned efforts to establish parallel governance structures in the country” and “criticised the illegal influx of weapons, mercenaries, and foreign fighters into Sudan.”
Modern Ghana said Vice President of the Sovereign Council Malik Agar used the meeting to urge the international community to focus more closely on the Sudanese people and the immense humanitarian suffering caused by the war.
Radio Tamazuj added that the envoys backed ongoing international mediation efforts, including those led by the Quad and the Quintet, and urged Sudanese authorities to engage constructively in political talks aimed at a civilian-led transition.
