Finance Minister Meets with Airlines to Arrange Return of Sudanese Refugees in Uganda
Minister of Finance,
Dr. Jibril Ibrahim, , met today in his office with representatives of the national airlines operating in Sudan (Sudan Airways, Badr Airlines, and Tarco Airlines) to discuss arrangements for the voluntary return of Sudanese refugees in Uganda. Badr Airlines and Tarco Airlines offered to operate two free flights, while Sudan Airways committed to operating three free flights for refugees from Uganda to Sudan. All three airlines pledged to reduce airfares for returnees, offering near-zero profit margins to provide the service at the lowest possible cost, taking their circumstances into consideration.
The Minister stated that the return and resettlement of citizens in their home regions is a government priority and falls within the companies’ corporate social responsibility towards the community. He emphasized the need for concerted official and community efforts to urgently implement the project, given the suffering of Sudanese refugees in Uganda and several neighboring countries, and the high cost of their return, which exceeds their capabilities. The Minister of Finance also called upon state governments and domestic transport companies to contribute to the repatriation of their citizens upon their return. He further urged business leaders and international and local organizations to contribute to this project.
The meeting was attended by Captain Mazen Al-Awad, Director General of Sudan Airways (Sudanair), and Mohamed Hassan, Director of Port Sudan Station for Tarco Aviation. Mr. Ahmed Abu Shaira, Chairman of Badr Airlines, participated virtually. The delegation from the High Committee for the Voluntary Return of Sudanese in Uganda was headed by Major General (Rtd) Abdel Karim Youssef Yaqoub, and included Maulana Yahya Hashim Obi, a member of the committee.
For his part, the head of the delegation from the High Committee for the Return of Sudanese Refugees in Uganda expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Minister of Finance in ensuring the success of the arrangements for the return of citizens. He commended the Minister’s significant role in providing all necessary facilities and his concern for the conditions of Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries. He also acknowledged the efforts of the Sudanese Ambassador to Uganda in the return project. He explained that the first phase targets 10,000 refugees in Uganda, out of a total of 93,000 Sudanese refugees.