Sudan, Norway discuss illegal immigration

March 9, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - A visiting Norwegian delegation on Tuesday discussed in Khartoum ways to coordinate action to fight against illegal immigration and terrorism.

Sudan’s foreign ministry building in Khartoum (SUNA)

Norway which is not a member of the European Union is also hit by the immigration crisis. During the past months, the Scandinavian adopted draconian measures aiming to send back illegal immigrants crossing Russia’s border to avoid the perilous journey across the Mediterranean to Europe.

The majority of migrants from the Horn of Africa countries, cross into Europe via Sudan. The European Union and Germany recently decided to provide Khartoum with financial support for development projects and to build facilities for refugees in eastern Sudan.

The Norwegian delegation was headed by the director of bilateral relations Ambassador Atina Smith and the Sudanese side by Ambassador Dafalla al-Haj Ali Osman who is also the director of bilateral relations department at the Sudanese foreign ministry.

According to a statement issued by the foreign ministry following the meeting, the two parties agreed to continue political consultations and to work together to enhance bilateral relations, implement joint programmes and exchange of visits between officials.

The visiting delegation extended an invitation for the Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour to visit Norway as soon as possible, said the statement.

The head of the Norwegian delegation said she listened to Sudan’s point of view on the illegal immigration, pointing out that her country is in the process of providing assistance to Sudan on this respect through the agreed mechanisms to enable the east African country to fulfil its role in the fight against the illegal immigration.

Smith further said they are a number of development projects that Norway will implement in Sudan, including the Oil for Development (OfD) Programme that has been renewed recently, along with the continuation of the traditional academic cooperation which is established since more than 50 years.

Through the OfD Programme, which is established in 2005, the Scandinavian country offers assistance to developing countries to achieve poverty reduction through responsible management of petroleum resources.