Yesterday in Brussels, the European Parliament hosted the conference “Sudan in Crisis: From Humanitarian Response to Sustainable Peace”. The event brought together MEPs, analysts, academics, and journalists to discuss the ongoing war that erupted on 15 April 2023 and its devastating impact on the population: systematic human rights violations, widespread famine, and millions of displaced people.
The discussion was moderated by Manel Msalmi, human rights advisor at the Milton Friedman Institute. Claude Moniquet, journalist and former intelligence analyst, highlighted the role of the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran in fueling the conflict. He pointed to evidence of Iranian weapons being trafficked through the Red Sea to the Sudanese army and warned that the establishment of such an Iranian sphere of influence would pose a direct strategic threat to Europe and the entire region.
Paulo Casaca, former MEP and founder of the South Asia Forum, denounced the strong support provided by Qatar and other states to Sudanese Islamist forces. He noted that the Khartoum regime has progressively dismantled international oversight mechanisms for human rights abuses, starting with the termination of the UNITAMS mission.
Heath Sloane, head of geopolitical intelligence at B&K Agency, stressed that Islamists have become a key strategic player in the current war, with the Muslim Brotherhood and the Iran–Houthi axis deeply entrenched. He underlined the consequences for Europe: increased migration pressure, the risk of exporting extremist ideologies, and the danger of hostile foreign powers gaining a foothold in Sudan. He urged the EU to firmly support Sudanese actors committed to pluralism, particularly women’s groups, minorities, journalists, and civil society organizations.
Khalid Omer Yousif, former Sudanese Cabinet Affairs Minister and a prominent opposition figure, described the conflict as the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe, with no military solution. He traced its roots to decades of military rule that suppressed Sudan’s diversity, condemned atrocities committed by both sides, and called for justice and accountability. He insisted that the Sudanese Islamic Movement should be designated a terrorist organization and urged Europe to back the Quad roadmap of 12 September, scale up humanitarian aid, and strengthen the international fact-finding mission.
Journalist and human rights defender Andy Vermaut recalled the hope sparked by the 2019 Sudanese revolution, which was crushed in 2021 by the return to power of military and Islamist leaders. He outlined the war’s horrific toll: famine, sexual violence, and the use of chemical weapons against civilians. He called on the EU to live up to its commitments on human rights and democracy, to ban the Muslim Brotherhood, isolate extremist actors, and ensure unobstructed humanitarian access.
Vermaut also criticized the active support provided by the Egyptian army and intelligence services to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), as well as the funding from Saudi Arabia and Qatar — through black-market channels — of Chinese and Russian weaponry used to bomb churches and mosques. He further condemned Sudan’s offer of Port Sudan as a strategic gateway for Russia on the African continent, a move that threatens European security interests by enabling Moscow to arm militias across Africa.
The conference concluded with the screening of a France 24 investigation into the recent use of chemical weapons by the Sudanese army against civilians.
