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USAID/OTI Sudan Field Report
July 2005
Program Description
The overall goal of the USAID/OTI Sudan program is to strengthen Sudanese confidence and capacity to address the causes and consequences of political marginalization, violence and instability. The Office of Transition Initiatives is pursuing this goal within the framework of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The five main objectives of the OTI Sudan program are to: promote the emergence of responsive and effective civil authorities; provide opportunities for peaceful dialogue within and among communities; promote the emergence of an active civil society; increase availability of quality, independent information; and protect vulnerable populations from grave human rights violations and related abuses.
OTI's implementing partners are PACT, the Educational Development Center, and Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI). PACT manages the Southern Sudan Transition Initiative, which is a two-year small-grants program promoting and supporting good governance, local-level peace initiatives, the development of civil society, and an informative and balanced media. The Education Development Center has established the Sudan Radio Service, which is a shortwave radio station that transmits six hours of programming daily on current events, civic education, health and culture in nine languages. DAI is implementing Phase II of the small-grants program that will focus on critical transition needs in the aftermath of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Government of Sudan.
Country Situation
SPLM, southern militias fail to reach deal – John Garang, leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), and various Khartoum-backed militias failed to reach a cease-fire agreement before installation of a Government of National Unity in early July. The talks took place in Nairobi under the auspices of the Moi Peace Institute, with the former Kenyan president, Daniel arap Moi, serving as mediator. Participants promised to return to the negotiating table soon, although a date has not yet been set. According to the January Comprehensive Peace Agreement, southern militias are to be absorbed into either the SPLM or the national government army.
Inauguration of the Government of National Unity – July 9 ushered in the installation of a Government of National Unity that is composed of the ruling National Congress Party, the SPLM and various other opposition groups. In the South, the SPLM has been working toward setting up the Government of Southern Sudan that will come into existence once a constitution for the region is finalized.
Also on July 9, SPLM leader John Garang was inaugurated in the capital of Khartoum as Sudan's first vice-president, bringing into government the long-time southern rebel leader. Before the inauguration, President Omar Hassan Ahmed el-Bashir signed an interim constitution that included complex power-sharing arrangements and ended the state of emergency in effect since a 1989 coup. The festivities were witnessed by numerous dignitaries, including U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and several regional heads of state, including the presidents of Kenya, Uganda and South Africa. Garang's trip to Khartoum, his first in over 20 years, was welcomed by hundreds of thousands of southern Sudanese residents who attended his outdoor speech near the airport.
Rice supports peace processes in Sudan trip – U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice traveled to Sudan to urge increased efforts in resolving the crisis in Darfur in the western part of the country. In meetings with President el-Bashir and new Vice-President John Garang, Rice reiterated the U.S. position that genocide has occurred and expressed concern at the humanitarian situation in Darfur. Rice also called on the African Union and other members of the United Nations Security Council to step up diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the violence there.
USAID/OTI Highlights
A. Narrative Summary
With the inauguration of SPLM leader John Garang as Sudan's first vice-president, the mood throughout southern Sudan and within the internally displaced persons communities in the North was one of jubilation. The Office of Transition Initiatives continued in July to re-evaluate programming options in light of the evolving "one country, two systems" structure of Sudan between the North and the South. Because the Transition Areas of Abyei, Southern Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains are now increasingly integrated with the North, there are discussions about increasing both procurement and programming ties between OTI's northern and southern programs.
The increasing integration of northern and southern programs was supported by the North Sudan program's first trip to the South Kordofan-Nuba Mountain region in July. OTI's field adviser, Oren Murphy, traveled to Kadugli to develop programming opportunities to support the country's Comprehensive Peace Agreement. OTI's senior field adviser, Eleanor Bedford, and Victor Tanner, a consultant for implementing partner DAI, traveled to Rumbek in the South to work closely with the OTI staff in improving grant programming and creating synergy between OTI partners. Given the fluid political situation, the team also examined how to strategically factor local political dynamics into grant development.
The numerous milestones achieved have brought both kudos and extra responsibilities to the SPLM. Communities throughout the South expect to see visible dividends of peace as the former rebel movement becomes part of the national and state power structure. One of the most important opportunities for the SPLM to interface with the population is through the local authority offices. In some locations, the county size makes it difficult for civil servants to provide services to remote villages. Thus far, OTI has provided motorcycles to a half-dozen county authorities in southern Sudan, including a July grant to Agok County in Abyei.
A key concern of many in southern Sudan is the proliferation of weapons and the resulting lack of security. One of the consequences of Rumbek County's rapid population growth has been an increase in criminal activity. Community members and the local authorities have teamed up in an innovative project to create several neighborhood-watch posts in locations deemed chronically insecure. OTI signed a grant with the Rumbek Civil Authority to provide handheld radios and construction materials for three watch posts. The community agreed to provide labor and volunteers to man the posts.
OTI's grant to the Abyei Youth Association also builds on a community initiative, this one begun by the youth group to provide peace and civic education through theater. The youth association brought together members of an acting troupe, and the community donated 80,000 bricks to construct a public theater. OTI provided the remaining materials necessary for construction, while the youth group will organize labor. One of the first plays will focus on explaining the relevant details of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement to the Abyei community.
OTI also continued to expand its Darfur-related programming. Several grants were signed to assist legal-aid efforts in the region, facilitate pastoralist-farmer dialogue, and train Sudanese human-rights monitors for Darfur.
B. Grants Activity Summary
| Promote emergence of responsive, effective and inclusive civil authorities. |
3 |
$68,666 |
60 |
$2,357,367 |
| Provide opportunities for peaceful dialogue within and among communities. |
9 |
$138,467 |
83 |
$2,545,679 |
| Promote the emergence of an empowered and an active civil society. |
1 |
$2,500 |
95 |
$1,517,797 |
| Increase availability of quality, independent information. |
|
|
47 |
$4,299,328 |
| Protect vulnerable populations from abuse. |
|
|
4 |
$1,497,122 |
| TOTAL |
13 |
$209,633 |
289 |
$12,217,293 |
C. Indicators of Success
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| Youth Development Association members model T-shirts from road-safety workshops. |
The bustling town of Rumbek in the South has grown significantly since the signing of the January peace deal between the Government of Sudan and the SPLM. Many international aid agencies have set up their regional offices and operations centers in the largest town of Bahr el Ghazal. In addition, many international businesses have opened offices in the town to engage in a variety of commercial activities. As a result, Rumbek roads are often congested with trucks and jeeps. The dangerous mix of increased road traffic and a population not used to urban-like settings became clear in April when a truck hired by the World Food Program's road project killed a local Sudan People's Liberation Army soldier in an accident. As a result, the family of the dead man broke into the prison housing the Ugandan truck driver and shot him to death.
To counter these kinds of problems, OTI is currently supporting a series of road and safety workshops in Rumbek, organized by the Bahr el Youth Development Association. The campaign includes the distribution of more than 500
T-shirts and 250 caps, dissemination of safety messages by public-address system throughout town, and training-of-trainers workshops to create a core group of road-safety educators. The reception from community leaders and local authorities has been extremely positive.
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
OTI/Sudan will work out general guidelines for North/South collaboration in the transition areas and garrison towns.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington, D.C: Sarah Brewer, Sudan Team Leader, sbrewer@usaid.gov, 202-712-4031
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