DUBAI – The authorities in the United Arab Emirates have announced to waive fines for Sudanese passport holders who have overstayed their residence in the emirate.
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) has confirmed the relief in the backdrop of ensuing violence in the country.
The fine exemption would be available to those with expired visas and residency permits or departure deadlines from the UAE. The Sudanese embassy has expressed gratitude to the UAE leadership for their support extended in this regard.
Besides the visa relaxation, the government of UAE is extending humanitarian support as well, and on Friday, an aid ship carrying 1,000 tonnes of supplies and food arrived in Port Sudan.
Moreover, the UAE had also sent nine planes to evacuate nearly 1,000 people from the violence-torn country.
The announcement by UAE comes weeks after Saudi Arabia announced the extension of Umrah visas for Sudanese pilgrims who are in the Kingdom and are unable to return home.
The authorities in Saudi Arabia also launched the “Hosting Sudanese Umrah Performers” under which citizens and residents in the Kingdom can host the Sudanese on Umrah visas.
The facility allows relatives or friends of the Sudanese on Umrah visas in the Kingdom as well as Saudi citizens to switch the Umrah visa into a visitor’s visa free of cost.
Sudan is currently wading through a wave of violence and as per the estimates by the World Health Organization 705 people have been killed and at least 5,287 have been left injured in the violence.
The fighting has entered its sixth week and hopes are dim when it comes to any end to violence; the two sides have accused each other of violating multiple ceasefire agreements.
The conflict between the forces loyal to Sudan’s military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and those of his deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo erupted on April 15 and has claimed hundreds of lives and left thousands injured.
Since the conflict erupted last month, tens of thousands have already left for neighbouring Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan to save their lives amid fierce fighting between the groups.
