KHARTOUM, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The delegation of the European Union (EU) and representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have signed an agreement to implement a project to foster employment opportunities and economic growth in Sudan, said EU delegation in Sudan in a statement Thursday.
"The project is funded by the European Union through the EU Trust Fund for Africa, and its Regional Development and Protection Programme (RDPP) in the Horn of Africa, in which Sudan participates," the statement said.
It added that the fund "reiterates the EU's strong commitment in addressing the root causes of displacement and irregular migration from Africa to Europe. The EU will provide 3 million euros (about 3.2 million U.S. dollars) to the newly signed project."
According to the agreement, UNIDO will implement the project over a period of three years.
It noted that the intervention is intended to provide alternatives to primary and secondary movements of migrants and refugees and enhance self-reliance opportunities. Special attention will be given to youth and women IDPs and migrants from Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan and other neighbouring countries.
"This project will train youth, adult migrants and refugees with competitive technical and soft skills to enable them to find future jobs," Jean-Michel Dumond, the head of delegation, said in the statement.
He went on saying "the trainees will benefit from new opportunities to engage in decent work, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning. It will open new windows for them and will help in the eradication of poverty and with decreasing the unemployment levels."
Sudan government on Wednesday said the EU has not fulfilled its commitments to supporting Sudan's efforts to combat illegal immigration and human trafficking.
In October 2014, Sudan hosted an international conference on combating human trafficking and illegal immigration which included the participation of African and European countries.
