Commissioner Nielson met Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sudan

Earlier today Commissioner for Development Assistance and Humanitarian Aid,Poul Nielson met with Sudanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail.

The meeting which was part of a long an ongoing dialogue between the European Commission and Sudan confirmed the quality of their relationship. The current promising peace process in Sudan was discussed. Commissioner Nielson expressed encouragement at the prospects of a final peace agreement and of the strong African ownership of the process. Stakeholders in Sudan and the region had invested enormously in the peace process. It was therefore important not to rush but to ensure a comprehensive and detailed peace agreement in order to maximise its political robustness and sustainability.

Commissioner Nielson reaffirmed the EU's willingness to reassume broad scale development assistance to Sudan after the signature of a comprehensive peace agreement. € 427 million would be available for development assistance to Sudan.

The humanitarian crisis in Darfur was also discussed. Commissioner Nielson expressed concern at the difficult humanitarian situation but confirmed the continued engagement of the Commission in the delivery of humanitarian aid to Sudan. Through its Humanitarian Aid Office, ECHO, the Commission has since 1994 allocated over € 200 million in Humanitarian assistance to both North and South Sudan. Allocations for 2003 alone have reached € 24 million including a recent emergency decisions for € 4 million to alleviate the consequences of the Darfur crisis.

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• EU Presidency declaration on the situation in Darfur - Sudan (7/1/2004)