Sudan’s Intelligence Chief European Tour: A Pivotal Moment in Sudan-EU Ties, U.S. Left Behind, Says Sudanese Consultant

Sudan’s Crisis Fuels Migration Concerns in Europe: Examining 'Intelligence Diplomacy' Led by General Mufaddal, As Experts Weigh Trump vs. Biden Sudan's Policy

WASHINGTON D.C., DC, UNITED STATES, September 23, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Mekki Elmograbi, a consultant with the Sudanese government, stated that the visits by Sudanese General Intelligence Service (GIS) Chief, General Ibrahim Mufaddal, to Italy, France, and five other nations were highly successful. "Europeans have broken free from the influence of the RSF's regional sponsor, and part of the American political community has done the same, though not the administration," Elmograbi noted.

He further explained that the Trump administration engaged more constructively with Sudan, while the Biden administration's approach led to a regression, ultimately causing the Sudanese crisis.

Speaking to (OSP-SD), Elmograbi emphasized that the RSF militia fosters a conducive environment for human trafficking. The militia itself is involved in trafficking in persons, and its presence facilitates the entry of criminals and terrorists into Europe through irregular migration routes. He pointed out that migration driven by the RSF is shifting from economic causes to the smuggling of criminal and terrorist elements. "This is why Europe has finally chosen the right side," Elmograbi remarked.

In an article with MCAA Think Tank, Elmograbi also highlighted that Mufaddal's "intelligence diplomacy" tour extended to five Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, Iraq, and Libya.

Within MCAA groups, analysts are reflecting on the United States' foreign policy toward Sudan, with many pointing to contrasting approaches between the Trump and Biden administrations. While U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia’s attempts to seize the city of El-Fasher in Darfur, it is widely agreed that the U.S. response has been largely reactionary. Elmograbi argued that the war could have been avoided with better U.S. foreign policy leadership, particularly if the Trump administration’s strategies of constructive engagement had been maintained.

He further highlighted in his article that European countries like France and Italy have taken steps ahead of the U.S., working closely with Sudanese intelligence to contain the crisis, while U.S. officials are closer to US allies' agenda, especially UAE.

Elmograbi disclosed that high-level meetings between French intelligence officials and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs with General Ibrahim Mufaddal signaled a major shift in France. “France is no longer just watching the situation unfold,” he said. “They are actively involved in shaping the outcome by fostering intelligence cooperation to stop the conflict.”

Italy’s intelligence officials have also expressed to Sudan their deep concern about the implications of terrorism stemming from Sudan’s war. Their discussions with Mufaddal focused on how Sudan’s destabilization could lead to an increase in terrorist activities, both in Africa and Europe.

Under the Trump administration, Sudan was removed from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism, a monumental shift that opened doors for international aid and cooperation with Sudan’s transitional government. Elmograbi points out that Trump’s decision, finalized in December 2020, was a pivotal moment that could have led to stronger U.S.-Sudan relations.

However, the current Democratic administration’s foreign policy has been less decisive and less pragmatic. Elmograbi emphasized that while security cooperation between the U.S. and Sudan began in 2001 and reached its peak under Trump, intelligence cooperation faltered once the Biden administration took office, Quad mechanism established (USA, UK, KSA, UAE), the U.S. Ambassador John Godfrey became the mechanism’s ambassador which mainly influenced by allies' agendas, not US interests. “The delay in effective political action by the current administration allowed space for the conflict to escalate,” Elmograbi explained. The Democratic approach, which focused more on political intervention rather than pragmatic relations and security cooperation with GIS, allowed the RSF militia to grow in power, leading to the devastating conflict seen today.

The Sudanese crisis is a stark reminder of how foreign policy shifts can have profound consequences. The Trump administration’s proactive measures in Sudan laid a foundation for peace, but the current administration’s passive approach has contributed to the ongoing turmoil. Elmograbi concluded, “It’s time for the U.S. to return to a position of strength and work actively with Sudanese intelligence and military forces to secure the future of Sudan and prevent further escalation.”

In a video commentary on the channel Sudan's Media Consultant-Washington D.C. Mekki explained how the ‘Salesian Operation’ -the evacuation of Italian nuns and African children- has paved the way for better cooperation between intelligence services in Sudan and Europe.

M. Elmograbi
MCAA-TT
+1 202-960-7870
info@mekkicenter.com
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Mekki ELMOGRABI on how the ‘Salesian Operation’ -the evacuation of Italian nuns and African children- has paved the way to cooperation between Sudan and Europe