KHARTOUM – Italy is a firm supporter of the “Khartoum process”, the European and African Union initiative against smuggling of migrants, in Sudan, an area crucially relevant for migrations flows between the Horn of Africa and Europe.

Last week Italian delegations of the Ministries of Interiors and of Foreign Affairs and their Sudanese counterparts, including the Minister of Interior of Sudan, general Esmat Abdel Rahman, met in Khartoum. International cooperation against the trafficking of migrants was on the agenda.

The “Khartoum Process” is the document signed in November 2014 in Rome by all European countries, aiming at monitoring migration flows through the collaboration of Europe and African countries of origin with the goal of ultimately control migrants and refugees who leave Eastern Africa to go to Libya, cross the Mediterranean sea and reach Europe.

The purpose of the the “Khartoum Process” is to guarantee better living conditions in refugee camps, more effective police patrolling along the borders, information exchange and technology transfers for controlling the borders, along with an aid package for sustainable development and stability in the region.

To remark Italy’s commitment, on October 13, the Italian Council of Ministries, agreed to allocate 38,5 million Euros for cooperation initiatives for refugees and for civil reconstruction in Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya, Central African Republic (CAR), Somalia, Mali and Niger. Part of these funds will be invested in Iraq, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen as well.

In addition to that, the Italian budget to face the South Sudanese migrants crisis in Sudan – 198, 657 according to 2014 estimates – will amount to 6 million Euros. On July 29, the South Sudanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Ghandour, met in Rome with Italian Minister Paolo Gentiloni, who assured the willingness by the Italian government to strengthen bilateral relationships between Italy and Sudan for the stability of the country. (FM/VI, October 19)