America: Helping the People of Sudan

Previous Version: January 2007

Sudan is one of the highest foreign policy priorities for President Bush and his administration. The United States is a leader in providing aid and support to secure a stable and lasting peace in Sudan. While simultaneously providing for the humanitarian needs of conflict-affected populations throughout the country, the United States remains focused on pushing for the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) so that peace and democracy come to all Sudanese, the violence and atrocities in Darfur are ended, and refugees and displaced people can return home.

U.S. Support to Humanitarian Assistance

• The United States is the largest single international donor to Sudan, having provided more than 65% of the World Food Program’s food aid to Sudan in 2006. The World Food Program relies on continued international support and the United States encourages all donor partners to maintain or increase contributions.
• The United States estimates it will provide more than $1 billion
• in FY 2007 funds in humanitarian, development, and
• peacekeeping assistance to Sudan. The President requested funding in FY 2008 that will bring the total U.S. assistance to Sudan in FY 07-08 to more than $2 billion.

U.S. Support to Peacekeeping

• The United States continues to work with key donors, NATO allies, and African partners to strengthen the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) as it transitions to a larger, more robust AU/UN hybrid peacekeeping force. The UN is also increasing its personnel and material support to AMIS.
• The United States operates and maintains 34 AMIS base camps. The United States also maintains vehicles and communication equipment, provides pre-deployment training of Rwandan and Senegalese troops, and air transport for Rwandan troops.
• The United States has contributed more than $350 million for AMIS since 2004.

U.S. Diplomatic Action

• President Bush appointed Andrew Natsios as the President’s Special Envoy for Sudan on September 19, 2006.
• The United States, with its international partners, works to achieve agreement with Sudan’s government on a three-phasepeace keeping plan for Darfur. The third phase deploys a AU/UN hybrid peacekeeping force under UN command will protect civilians, ensure humanitarian access, and assist implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement.
• The United States imposed targeted sanctions in the form of travel ban and assets freeze on four individuals, including one Janjaweed leader, two rebel commanders, and one Sudan Armed Forces commander in April 2006, all of whom were responsible committing violence and impeding the peace process in Darfur. The United States is prepared to pursue additional coercive measures, including further designations of culpable individuals, to achieve an end to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

U.S. Support to the CPA

• The United States helped broker the historic CPA, which signed on January 9, 2005, ending 21 years of civil war.
• Through the implementation of the CPA, Sudan has witnessed the founding of the Government of National Unity (GNU); the naming of Salva Kiir, a Southerner, as First Vice President; the establishment of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS); the appointment of Southerners as GNU cabinet ministers; the founding of many CPA-mandated commissions; and the return of more than half a million displaced people/refugees to the South.
• The United States is assisting the GOSS in the formation effective government systems, in preparing for national elections by strengthening political parties, in reforming the Southern Security Sector, and in promoting a strong, vibrant civil society.

U.S. Support to the DPA

• The United States worked with the African Union (AU) to successfully broker the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signed May 5, 2006 between the Sudanese government and the largest rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), led Minni Minawi.
• The DPA establishes critical security, wealth-sharing, and powersharing arrangements that address the long-standing economic and political marginalization of Darfur.
• The United States and its international partners strongly the AU and UN Special Envoys in their efforts to restart talks with rebel factions that have not signed the DPA.