France Aids in Evacuating Filipinos from Violence-Torn Sudan

The French government has been evacuating citizens and foreign nationals from Sudan amid the ongoing violence in the country, including a number of Filipinos who were stranded in the African state.

The French embassy in Manila announced the move on Wednesday, saying that the French navy frigate Lorraine had assisted in the operation.

France has already evacuated a total of 538 people, including 209 French nationals and foreign nationals from 41 other countries, in addition to citizens from South Africa, Burundi, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Uganda, Rwanda, and Sudan.

France also evacuated other nationals from the United States, Canada, India, Japan, and the Philippines.

The embassy said that France stands in solidarity with European and allied partners by answering the call of many who reported their nationals in Sudan. The French Crisis and Support Centre (CDCS) contacted these nationals to locate them and proceed with their evacuation as quickly as possible.

The fighting in Sudan has killed hundreds and led to a humanitarian disaster in the country, which is heavily reliant on aid. The conflict began with clashes between the forces of two generals who seized power in a 2021 coup: army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemeti’ Dagalo, who commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Manila has evacuated 50 Filipinos who were trapped in Sudan, mostly abandoned by their employers. However, dozens of Filipinos are still awaiting evacuation. The Philippines does not have an embassy in Sudan.

France’s efforts to evacuate foreign nationals from Sudan are part of a wider humanitarian mission to help the country overcome the ongoing conflict and address the needs of its people. The international community continues to call for an end to the violence and for steps to be taken to promote peace and stability in Sudan. (GFB)