Sudan and UN Sign Memorandum On Implementation of (Travel Program Package)
The Sudan's government and the United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism completed today's morning the singing of a memorandum of understanding to start the implementation of travel program matrix.
Due to the isolation policy practiced globally, because of the corona crisis (Covid-19), which has imposed the inability to meet directly, inside the United States and in the United Nations, began on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, the process for the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Sudanese government represented by the its Permanent Mission in (New York) and the United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism in Arabic and English, with which the signature was completed this morning, May 27, 2020 in a ceremony celebrated through the video technology system, to start implementing the travel program matrix.
Ambassador Omer Mohamed Ahmed Siddig, the Permanent Representative of Sudan to the United Nations in New York has signed on behalf of the Government of Sudan, and for the United Nations, Mr. Valdemir Vernkov, Under-Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism.
The main purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding is to provide a framework that defines the scope and forms of cooperation between the two parties. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding is considered the beginning of implementation of a large and integrated project in the field of civil aviation, and travel in general to combat terrorism.
The cost of the technical assistance package (hardware, equipment, specialized software, training and capacity building programs) to be provided to Sudan is approximately estimated to $ 45 million.
The Memorandum of Understanding has defined the support to be provided by the UNs in combating the travel of terrorists for the implementation of the Sudan project in the following four areas: (1) Setting the necessary legislative frameworks to regulate the collection, use, transmission, retention and sharing of passenger data, in line with internationally recognized standards and human rights; (2) the institutional structure of the Sudanese Detection Center, also known as the Passenger Information Unit (PIU), to identify known and suspected terrorists, including the developing of the standard of operating procedures and training; (3) the close cooperation with the transportation industry sector to ensure technical connectivity; (4) the technical support, including donation and deployment of the UNs' go-travel software system.
The senior UNs' program director and focal point will communicate with the national implementation task teams, which will be established by the senior national program manager.
