(Ottawa) Canada temporarily suspends activities in Sudan.
The day after the announcement that the evacuation of personnel from the United States embassy in Sudan was complete, Global Affairs Canada recognized on Sunday a danger for the Canadians who are there.
“The situation in Sudan has rapidly deteriorated, making it impossible to ensure the safety of our personnel in Khartoum,” said a statement issued in the morning.
“After consulting with the Canadian Ambassador to Sudan, we have decided to temporarily suspend our activities in Sudan. Canadian diplomatic staff will temporarily work from a secure location outside the country.
They will continue to “coordinate the response to this crisis and support Canadians who are still in the country,” said Global Affairs Canada.
“The Canadian Embassy will resume its activities in Khartoum as soon as the security situation in Sudan allows us to guarantee appropriate service and adequate security for our staff. »
In the meantime, limited consular services are offered.
On Friday evening, the Canadian government announced the dispatch of members of the permanent rapid deployment team of Global Affairs Canada to Djibouti, in the neighboring country of the same name, due to the instability and the rapid deterioration of the situation in Sudan.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced the temporary suspension of in-person activities at the Canadian Embassy in Khartoum. She said the rapid deployment team could provide emergency response, coordination, consular assistance and logistical support.
Canadians requiring emergency consular assistance should contact Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre, including by phone at 1-613-996-8885, by email at sos@international .gc.ca or with the Telegram app at Emergency Canada abroad.
The federal government said Friday that the Department of National Defense and the Canadian Armed Forces are “planning for various contingencies,” but did not give further details.
The Department of Foreign Affairs estimated that it had about 1,500 Canadians registered as being in Sudan.
The power struggle between the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, led by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, has dealt a blow to Sudan’s impetuous hopes for a democratic transition. More than 400 people, including 264 civilians, were killed and there were more than 3,500 wounded in action.