Relationship dossier
France
Sudan
Relationship assessment
Economic cooperation and debt relief have been important, alongside French opposition to Sudan’s 2021 military coup.
France toward Sudan
+35France supported Sudan’s economic transition and helped convene the May 2021 Paris conference, which promoted debt relief and international financing. France also opposed Sudan’s October 2021 military coup and called for a return to civilian-led rule.
Sudan toward France
+25Sudan’s transitional authorities engaged with France in the 2021 Paris conference and in efforts to clear Sudanese arrears to France, facilitating debt relief. The extent of Sudanese government cooperation with France under later authorities is unclear.
Overall relationship
+25The relationship has included concrete economic cooperation, notably the 2021 debt-relief and financing process, but has also been shaped by French opposition to the military coup and uncertainty about cooperation under subsequent Sudanese authorities. These features support a mixed but cooperative overall characterization.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
France supported Sudan’s economic transition and helped organize the May 2021 Paris conference, which advanced debt relief and international financing. Sudan’s transitional authorities engaged in that process, including efforts to clear arrears to France. Relations have also been affected by France’s opposition to Sudan’s 2021 military coup and the subsequent conflict, while the scope of bilateral cooperation under later authorities is unclear.
Areas of tension
- France’s opposition to Sudan’s October 2021 military coup and its calls for a return to civilian-led rule.
Key developments
France hosted a Paris conference on Sudan’s economic transition, bringing together international partners to support financing and debt relief.
France opposed Sudan’s military coup and called for the restoration of civilian-led government.
Major uncertainties
- The scope of direct bilateral cooperation under Sudan’s post-coup authorities is unclear.
- The extent to which arrangements made during the 2021 economic transition were implemented is uncertain.