About 200 Canadian soldiers and two large Hercules aircraft are currently stationed in the Sudan region of East Africa, ready to evacuate Canadians stuck in this country struggling with violent episodes, “as soon as the conditions on the ground will allow it”.
In a scrum on Wednesday afternoon in the House of Commons, National Defense Minister Anita Anand, however, clarified that Canadian planes will need space to land at the airport in Khartoum, the country’s capital, before repatriation can begin.
The military will also need to be able to ensure Canadians stuck in Sudan can get to planes safely, she said.
According to the minister, the two Hercules planes arrived “recently” in East Africa, but she would not reveal the exact moment. Mme Anand also refrained from saying whether Canadian military personnel were already inside Sudan.
Earlier Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced that about 50 Canadians had been evacuated from Sudan over the past day.
This means that so far, approximately 150 Canadians and permanent residents have been helped out of the country since violent clashes between the army and a paramilitary force group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), began last week.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said earlier this week that Canada has a C-17 military aircraft in the region to help transport Canadians. But until now, Ottawa has always relied on other countries to find seats on their planes or ships.
700 requests for help
Minister Joly said Wednesday that about 1,800 Canadian citizens or permanent residents have now registered their presence in Sudan with the government and that 700 of them have requested assistance to leave the country.
Mélanie Joly added Wednesday that Ottawa is also considering the request of Sudanese diaspora groups in Canada for relatives to come to the country temporarily, until the violence subsides.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said on Wednesday that the government had recalled some striking Public Service Alliance of Canada employees, declaring them “essential workers”, to process immigration documents for people in Sudan.
“In times of crisis, Canada is always there to help, and that’s why we will be there,” said Mr.me Jolly to reporters on Parliament Hill.
She noted that Ottawa is including dual nationals and permanent residents, as well as their foreign spouses and dependents, such as children and grandchildren, in its repatriation.
Minister Fraser said Canada was already fast-tracking visitor visa applications that Sudanese citizens submitted before the violence began. Ottawa is also waiving certain fees, such as for Canadians whose passports have expired.
“We are seeing what is happening and trying to adopt policies that reflect the gravity of the situation on the ground,” he told reporters. Some striking public service employees who are deemed essential have returned to work to help those whose lives may be in danger, which is essential. »