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EU Parliamentary Delegation in Tunisia to Discuss Political Reforms

Tunisians raise placards and national flags as they take to the streets of the capital Tunis to protest against their president, on April 10, 2022. (AFP)
Tunisians raise placards and national flags as they take to the streets of the capital Tunis to protest against their president, on April 10, 2022. (AFP)
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EU Parliamentary Delegation in Tunisia to Discuss Political Reforms

Tunisians raise placards and national flags as they take to the streets of the capital Tunis to protest against their president, on April 10, 2022. (AFP)
Tunisians raise placards and national flags as they take to the streets of the capital Tunis to protest against their president, on April 10, 2022. (AFP)

Members of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee arrived in Tunis on Monday for consultations on the country’s path towards political reforms and a return to institutional stability.

According to observers, the visiting delegation will underline the need for a comprehensive political dialogue, respect for the rule of law, civil liberties and human rights, as well as the importance of having a political system based on democratic principles, especially the principle of the separation of powers.

The delegation was led by Michael Gahler, Standing Rapporteur for Tunisia of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and includes Javier Nart, Jakop Dalunde and Andrea Cozzolino, Chair of Parliament's Inter parliamentary Delegation for relations with Maghreb countries.

During the three-day visit, the senior officials are scheduled to meet with the Tunisian president, representatives of the government, political parties, and civil society to discuss how the EU can continue to support Tunisia in the process of political reform and democratic consolidation.

This ad-hoc delegation will also provide the opportunity to discuss with relevant interlocutors if and how the European Parliament can support Tunisia in preparing for the planned elections at the end of 2022.

In addition, the delegation will pay special attention to the economic situation in Tunisia and on how the EU can best support Tunisian authorities in the implementation of economic reforms for the benefit of all Tunisians.

Due to the suspension of the parliament, Tunisian authorities, and several parties loyal to the president had previously rejected a similar visit by European Parliament members to the country.

They viewed the visit as meddling in Tunisia’s internal affairs.

In response to the visit, Parliament speaker Rached Ghannouchi’s assistant Maher Medhioub addressed a letter to the European Parliament, saying Tunis rejects foreign meddling and that it can resolve its problems internally.

There can be no resolving the political crisis without the participation of all elected Tunisians, starting with the parliament, various political parties and social and civil society organizations, he stated.

He added that the beginning of the solution lies with President Kais Saied annulling the extraordinary measures he imposed in July 2021 and reinstating the parliament, which had dissolved earlier this month.

He also proposed the launch of national dialogue to resolve the "deep and dangerous constitutional crisis."

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US Determines Sudan's RSF Committed Genocide, Imposes Sanctions on Leader

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces commander, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, attends a meeting of representatives of the tripartite mechanism in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on June 8, 2022. (AFP)
Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces commander, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, attends a meeting of representatives of the tripartite mechanism in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on June 8, 2022. (AFP)
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US Determines Sudan's RSF Committed Genocide, Imposes Sanctions on Leader

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces commander, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, attends a meeting of representatives of the tripartite mechanism in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on June 8, 2022. (AFP)
Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces commander, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, attends a meeting of representatives of the tripartite mechanism in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on June 8, 2022. (AFP)

The United States determined on Tuesday that members of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias committed genocide in Sudan and it imposed sanctions on the group's leader over a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and driven millions from their homes.

The moves deal a blow to the RSF's attempts to burnish its image and assert legitimacy - including by installing a civilian government- as the paramilitary group seeks to expand its territory beyond the roughly half of the country it currently controls.

The RSF rejected the measures.

"America previously punished the great African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, which was wrong. Today, it is rewarding those who started the war by punishing (RSF leader) General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, which is also wrong," said an RSF spokesman when reached for comment.

The war in Sudan has produced waves of ethnically driven violence blamed largely on the RSF. It has also carried out mass looting campaigns across swathes of the country, arbitrarily killing and sexually assaulting civilians in the process.

The RSF denies harming civilians and attributes the activity to rogue actors it says it is trying to control.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement the RSF and aligned militias had continued to direct attacks against civilians, adding they had systematically murdered men and boys on an ethnic basis and had deliberately targeted women and girls from certain ethnic groups for rape and other forms of sexual violence.

The militias have also targeted fleeing civilians and murdered innocent people escaping conflict, Blinken said.

"The United States is committed to holding accountable those responsible for these atrocities," Blinken said.

Washington announced sanctions on the leader of the RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, barring him and his family from travelling to the US and freezing any US assets he might hold. Financial institutions and others that engage in certain activity with him also risk being hit with sanctions themselves.

It had previously sanctioned other leaders, as well as army officials, but had not sanctioned Dagalo, known as Hemedti, as attempts to bring the two sides to talks continued.

Such attempts have stalled in recent months.

"As the overall commander of the RSF, Hemedti bears command responsibility for the abhorrent and illegal actions of his forces," the Treasury said.

Sudan's army and RSF have been fighting for almost two years, creating a humanitarian crisis in which UN agencies struggle to deliver relief. More than half of Sudan's population faces hunger, and famine has been declared in several areas.

The war erupted in April 2023 amid a power struggle between the army and RSF ahead of a planned transition to civilian rule.

Blinken said in the statement that "both belligerents bear responsibility for the violence and suffering in Sudan and lack the legitimacy to govern a future peaceful Sudan."

The US has sanctioned army leaders as well as individuals and entities linked to financing its weapons procurement. Last year, Blinken accused the RSF and the army, which has carried out numerous indiscriminate air strikes, of war crimes.