"It is at the minimum contradictory to vote texts like the Strategic Compass with triumphant tones and since then not to be able on a European level, despite the efforts of the High Representative, to organize a pan European evacuation operation. Europe is judged from its capability to respond to crisis, and as Europe I have to say that in Sudan crisis we did not get a very good mark," Dendias said in a doorstep interview ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.
The minister noted the efforts of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in helping evacuate Greek citizens from the Sudanese capital of Khartoum.
In recent days, the Greek Foreign Ministry has been trying to organize the evacuation of about 150 Greeks from Sudan. In two days, with the help of France and Italy, two groups of eight and 10 people were evacuated.
According to the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the European Union has evacuated over 1,000 citizens, including 21 members of the bloc's staff, from Sudan torn by violent clashes, but the EU ambassador still remains in the country.
"It has been a long and intense weekend trying to take our people out of Sudan. It has been a complex operation and it has been a successful operation. First, the staff of the European Union, 21 people are already in Europe and many more European Union citizens are already out of Sudan. I cannot give you the concrete figure, [but it is] more than 1,000 people, for sure," Borrell said on arrival at a meeting of the EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
Meanwhile, EU Ambassador to Sudan Aidan O'Hara still remains in Sudan, since "the captain is the last one to leave the ship," the top EU diplomat said, while adding that the ambassador was no longer in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.
Last week, O'Hara was assaulted in his residence during the outbreak of violence in Khartoum. The ambassador was "not seriously hurt" and continued to perform his duties in full, Borrell said.
On April 15, violent clashes broke out between the Sudanese regular armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, with the epicenter located in Khartoum. Government forces accused the RSF of mutiny and launched airstrikes against their bases. Abdel Fattah Burhan, the head of the Sudanese military, issued a decree disbanding the RSF. So far, around 600 people have died in the clashes, the Sudanese Health Ministry said on Friday.
A number of countries have been evacuating their nationals and diplomats from Sudan in cooperation with other African and Middle Eastern countries for land and air transit. The United States has evacuated its embassy staff from Khartoum but not regular US nationals. Russia has evacuated its nationals in Sudan's conflict areas to its embassy in Khartoum.
In March 2022, the Council of the EU approved the Strategic Compass, an ambitious plan of action for a stronger EU security and defense policy by 2030. The Compass is aimed at enhancing the EU's ability to act decisively in crisis situations and defend its security and its citizens.