(Bloomberg) -- The European Union said its program in Sudan to tackle the causes of “irregular migration” doesn't involve giving any funds to the North African nation's government, nor will it ever support a controversial militia guarding the Libyan border.
“The EU does not want to stop migration, but to ensure it takes place in a safe and regular way,” a European Commission spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “Our priority is to save lives, break the business model of smugglers and traffickers, address the root causes of migration and improve opportunities in countries of origin, while ensuring legal pathways to Europe.”
The EU said assistance to Sudan's people is delivered by United Nations organizations, member states' agencies and non-governmental organizations and the funds are “closely scrutinized” by its delegation to Sudan. “No support has ever been provided nor will it be provided to the Rapid Support Forces” and the EU doesn't equip any other Sudanese border forces, it said.
Last week, the head of the RSF, which has been accused of rights abuses during deployments in Sudan's Darfur and Southern Kordofan regions, said his group should receive EU compensation because recruits have stopped African migrants crossing from Sudan into Libya.
To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Richardson in Nairobi at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Paul Richardson at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net, Michael Gunn
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