Sudanese Rapid Support Forces as beneficiaries of EU funds

4.10.2016

Question for written answer E-007564-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Maria Heubuch (Verts/ALE) , Barbara Lochbihler (Verts/ALE) , Reinhard Bütikofer (Verts/ALE) , Ska Keller (Verts/ALE) , Judith Sargentini (Verts/ALE)

The Sudanese government has deployed its militia, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), at the borders with Libya to prohibit irregular migration and combat human trafficking. The RSF’s crimes against humanity and war crimes are well documented (i.a. by the International Criminal Court). Amnesty International reports that the Sudanese government may also have used chemical weapons against civilians in Darfur in 2016.

The EU cooperates with the Sudanese government in the area of migration, notably through the project ‘Better Migration Management (Khartoum Process)’ and, according to the relevant Action Fiche, provides i.a. capacity building support to front-line officials. The Action Fiche lists ‘provision of equipment and trainings to sensitive national authorities diverted for repressive aims’ as a risk. However, it does not indicate any direct mitigation measure to address this.

1. Are the RSF direct or indirect beneficiaries of EU funds in the context of this or any other project?

2. Does the EU consider the RSF eligible for future EU capacity-building projects in support of security and development (CBSD)?

3. Why are there no direct mitigation measures to counter the serious risk inherent in this project, and how will the EU ensure compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and prevent complicity in serious human rights abuses, war crimes and crimes against humanity?