The EU wants to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Sudan. To achieve this EU implements five political approaches. 

First, the EU meets with the Sudanese government, political actors, women and youth groups, as well as civil society for dialogue. The dialogue is focused on issues of joint interest, such as peace and stability, inclusive and sustainable development and prosperity, democratization and respect for human rights. The informal dialogue allows both the EU and Sudan to address common issues of interest, including global challenges such as climate change and regional issues such as migration and cooperation in the Nile Basin. 

Second, the EU encourages Sudan's constructive engagement with its neighbours and supports regional integration and transboundary cooperation. The EU wants to see Sudan active in the area of North, Central and Horn of Africa through positive diplomatic relations and constructive cooperation through the regional organizations like the African Union (AU), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), League of Arab States (LAS) and other institutions. The EU supports those organizations and supports its member states to play a peaceful and stabilizing role. 

The December revolution of 2018 has shown that the people of Sudan have protested not only against the dramatic price increases of essential goods but also and mainly for freedom, peace and justice. Thus, as a third, the EU supports this aspiration and has expressed to the government that was sworn in Sudan in August 2019, the readiness to accompany the peaceful transition both, politically and economically. 

Fourth, the European Union plays an important role in building bridges between Sudan and Europe. EU bodies like EU Parliament (EP), European Commission (EC), European External Action Service (EEAS), and European Union Member States work together, hand in hand, in full cooperation and coordination to this end through a steady flow of high level and technical visits and through a wide range of programs in Sudan. 

Fifth, the EU addresses issues of peace, democracy, human rights, sustainable development and humanitarian assistance also in regional and international fora. The EU continues to support the Sudanese government in the international forums and organizations and platforms to receive political and financial support. The EU will continue to do that as long as the government in Sudan is working for peace, freedom and justice. 

As part of Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), Sudan had entered into negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union. However, these negotiations stalled and are yet to be resumed.  

Sudan continues to enjoy preferential access to the EU under Everything But Arms (EBA), which provides for duty- and quota-free access for all products except for arms and ammunition for least developed countries. However, Sudan has not benefitted from this facility due to the standards of many of the country’s exports not meeting high-quality standards of entry set up by EU countries.  

Forthcoming EU programs assisting with livestock epidemic surveillance (Sudan hosts the largest livestock population in Africa, a major contributor to exports) and supporting Sudan’s WTO accession and ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) should assist with sanitary and quality standards improvements.  

In 2019, the EU 28-member states only imported EUR 284 M million worth of goods when EUR 920 million was exported, which represented an increase of 17% from the previous year. Most of the imports consisted of crude materials (inedible and no fuels), food and live animals, respectively 55.3% and 22% of total imports. EU exports to Sudan consisted mostly of machinery and transport equipment (38% of total exports), food and live animals (22%) and chemicals and related products (20%).  

The core objective of the EU programming (2021-2027) remains the eradication of poverty and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

The 2021-2027 Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) will continue to operate in the context of the Humanitarian — Development — Peace nexus and build on programmes undertaken in the past, in particular in the fields of health, education, food security, and livelihoods. In close coordination with ECHOthe EU Humanitarian Aid Office, the EU Delegation will implement programmes with a transversal focus on internally displaced persons and refugees as well as gender equality and youth.  Under the new MIP, the EU will work on three priority areas: (i) Peace, good governance, rule of law and human rights; (ii) Green growth and decent job creation with support to agriculture, livestock, forestry and agro-processing sectors; and (iii) Human development and social cohesion with support to education, health and social infrastructure and protection sectors. Overall, the programmes, initiated in the aftermath of the revolution and aiming to support the transition, will be further consolidated in the areas of economic reforms, public finance management, youth and women empowerment, job creation as well as democracy and human rights. 

Development Cooperation is one of the main pillars of the EU presence in Sudan. In 2021, the EU has 85 ongoing projects and programmes in the country financed from the EU budget, European Development Fund (EDF) and EU Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa for a value of approximately EUR 480 million. 

In 2017, Sudan was selected as a pilot country for the implementation of the Humanitarian — Development — Peace nexus for two major crises:  food security and displacement.  EU activities ranged from support to education/Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), health and social protection services, agriculture, food security, nutrition, migration and Human Rights. The thematic budget lines such as the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and the Civil Society Organisations (CSO-LA) have played an important role in delivering basic support to the populations while at the same time empowering civil society organisations as actors of change for development and democracy. 

After the revolution in 2019, the EU supported the democratic and economic transition through a special package allocated to Sudan with components on economic reforms, support to job creation, economic empowerment of women, as well as Human Rights. To cushion the impact of the economic reforms, a massive programme of cash transfers was also established through the World Bank Trust Fund.  

The political, security and economic instability, combined with a poor harvest, led to the worst food crisis in a decade. The EU has stepped up its humanitarian aid to support the most vulnerable.  The number of people requiring assistance has risen for the 5th  year to reach 15.8 million, 1/3 of the population. This is 3 times the number it was in 2017.  The growing humanitarian needs in the country are driven by a fragile political situation, continued economic decline and inflation, increased insecurity and violence in the periphery, protracted and new displacements, floods, dry spells and disease outbreaks.  The country’s political instability has led to a drastic reduction in the country’s financial capacity to respond to the growing needs and ensure essential services.

In 2023, the EU allocated €73 million in humanitarian assistance to Sudan. This funding will provide mainly emergency lifesaving essential services.  EU humanitarian aid provides communities with health and nutritional care, food assistance, water and sanitation, shelter, protection, and education to the most vulnerable households – internally displaced, refugee families and host communities.  The EU also contributes to the nutritional treatment and care of children under 5, and pregnant or breastfeeding women across Sudan.  Since 2013, the EU has mobilised almost €600 million in lifesaving assistance to people affected by conflict, food shortages and malnutrition, natural hazards or disease outbreaks.  The EU continues to promote compliance with international humanitarian law for unhindered and safe access for humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians.

The European Commission has led a targeted EU’s response to support Sudan’s efforts in tackling the pandemic, combining efforts from the EU and its Member States under a Team Europe Initiative. The total Team Europe global response package for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic for Sudan exceeds 120 million. The EU, in coordination with several EU Member States, has advocated strongly for Sudan’s eligibility to access International Financial Institutions’ emergency facilities to tackle COVID-19.  

In June 2020, the EU with the support of Sweden and France operated two EU Humanitarian Air Bridge flights to Sudan. The first batch of COVAX-funded 828,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine arrived at Khartoum airport on 3 March 2021. Furthermore, France and Luxembourg provided in-kind support to vaccines roll-out, supported by the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. 

EU’s bilateral support to the health sector responds to the “National COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease Preparedness and Response Plan” running for the period from 1 May to 31 December 2021. The Plan addresses 10 pillars including pillar 9, which focuses on maintaining essential health survives, and pillar 10 on vaccinations. The EU-funded “COVID-19 Response Sudan” programme implemented by World Health Organisation started in June 2020. The programme, with a total of EUR 20.2 million, addresses the need to face the current COVID-19 pandemic and contributes to the sustainable strengthening of the health system and health security in Sudan. It follows the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus complementing ongoing EU actions in Darfur, East Sudan and Khartoum. 

In June 2021, the European Union — Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s  COVID-19 Response programme was launched in Gedaref. The new action will aim to increase access to health and water and sanitation services, and improve the health response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Doka town, Um Rakouba village and Um Rakouba Refugee Camps.