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A senior official from South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Sudan Tribune that the talks focused on exploring all possibilities, including the option of some athletes and fans to stay in Paris after the Games and the decision to travel to other European countries, which have become the focus of discussion, and discussed the benefits of this gesture by the authorities.
“The ministers of youth and sports, foreign affairs and international cooperation and the French ambassador held several meetings to guarantee all our fans and players who hold at least French and other European passports. Those who do not have other passports besides those of South Sudan will be returned after the tournament,” an official with knowledge of the discussions said on Monday.
South Sudan’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Mohamed Goci told Sudan Tribune that he met with the French ambassador at his office on June 28 and held discussions, and agreed to speed up the process.
“The ambassador came to my office and we discussed visa issues, not only for South Sudanese but also for French nationals who want to come to South Sudan to invest and explore agriculture, energy and other economic sectors. We as a government have always welcomed European nationals, including French nationals, and issued them visas on arrival. This arrangement has always existed, but we want to strengthen it and develop friendly and mutually beneficial relations with other countries, including France,” he explained.
Goh said the country was ready to issue temporary visas to other countries.
A Schengen visa is an entry permit for non-EU citizens to enter the Schengen area countries for short temporary visits, not exceeding 90 days out of 180 days at a time. It is part of a treaty that led to the creation of the European Schengen area, where internal border checks have been largely eliminated.
The treaty was signed on 14 June 1985 by five of the ten member states of the then European Economic Community and entered into force ten years later, with all the countries of the European Union (EU) except the United Kingdom and Ireland to join in the coming years. European countries outside the EU have also joined the treaty, including Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. The UK’s subsequent withdrawal from the EU means that it is highly unlikely to join Schengen in the foreseeable future.
The treaty applies to countries that have a special relationship with the EU and whose citizens must hold a visa when crossing the bloc’s external borders. However, the arrangement has been exploited and abused by migrants, leading some EU countries, such as the UK, to withdraw, while others have imposed restrictions.
South Sudanese officials asked French authorities to relax visa requirements for certain types of travelers to certain countries, as France issues visas to diplomats, armed forces, refugees and students on school tours. It allows some non-EU nationals to hold airport transit visas when they are in transit through international transit areas at airports located in Schengen countries.
“We are in discussions with the French authorities through the French Ambassador to South Sudan, because fans, officials and athletes will be attending the Paris Olympics, which will require visas, as citizens of countries outside the European Union need an airport transit visa when transferring through the international transit area of an airport located in a Schengen country. Yes, we know that according to Article 3(5) of the Visa Code, there are categories of people who are exempt from the requirement to hold an airport transit visa. But those who do not qualify are why we are having discussions,” said Goch.
He explained that some players, athletes, fans and government officials who have never had the opportunity to travel abroad in their lifetime have now been nominated and authorized to travel to participate in the competition.
The agreement, signed by Luxembourg, France, Germany and Belgium, eliminates border checks at the signatory countries’ common borders within the Schengen area, allowing individuals to travel freely. It allows residents of border areas to cross borders freely without having to go through fixed checkpoints and unifies visa policies. Since travel from one country to another within the Schengen area is not subject to border controls, citizens can stay for short periods of up to 90 days.
The Netherlands signed the original Schengen Agreement in 1985.
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