USAID/OTI Sudan Field Report January 2004
Program Description
Since 1983, an estimated two million Sudanese have died as a result of protracted conflict, drought, and famine. Recently, however, several positive developments within Sudan have occurred, providing new opportunities to resolve Africa’s longest war and move the country toward a lasting peace. In addition to several successful local-level, people-to-people peace processes, the Government of Sudan (GOS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) appear to be on the verge of a peace agreement.
OTI’s work links ongoing peace processes to initiatives that promote increased participation of southern Sudanese in their governing structures. The OTI southern Sudan program has three main objectives: the strengthening of key processes, mechanisms, and institutions for responsible governance and civil society development; the increase in access to quality, independent information; and the promotion of processes, mechanisms, and institutions that promote peace and stability.
OTI’s program in southern Sudan supports activities in the following focus areas:
Foster Demand for Good Governance: OTI’s efforts focus on strengthening the rule of law by increasing the independence and effectiveness of the judiciary and developing governance entities in southern Sudan. OTI has issued a grant to the British NGO Christian Aid to provide targeted assistance to the judiciary and critical civil society actors working to promote good governance. The OTI small grants program administered by the NTO Pact also targets assistance to emerging governance and civil society structures.
Independent Southern Sudan Media: Given the high levels of illiteracy in southern Sudan, radio is the most effective vehicle for relaying information about the peace process, general news, as well updates on humanitarian and development programming. With funding from OTI, the Educational Development Center (EDC) has established a two-hour Monday-Friday short wave local-language radio service for southern Sudan.
Provide Rapid Targeted Support to Governance and Peace-building Efforts: Proposed OTI interventions in this area include the provision of technical assistance/capacity building to civil society groups and key sector governance bodies, and the implementation of community-identified priority projects to secure local peace agreements among citizens. OTI has contracted with Pact to create a small grants mechanism to implement such activities.
Country Situation
January brought less progress than hoped for in the peace negotiations. While the parties have remained at the table since early December, a number of difficult issues have continued to hold off a final comprehensive agreement. However, U.S. support and commitment to the peace process remains strong, with Senator John Danforth, U.S. Special Envoy for Peace in Sudan, taking part in the negotiations in mid-January.
While a final and comprehensive wealth sharing framework was agreed upon by both parties in early January, no other significant progress was made. The new wealth sharing agreement frames the oil and non-oil revenue sharing process for the per-interim and interim periods. The agreement also provides for a monetary system that will allow for Islamic banking in the north and western banking in the south.
Remaining issues are power-sharing and the three transitional zones of Abyei, Nuba Mountains and Southern Blue Nile. After initial refusals to discuss these regions, a preliminary framework on Southern Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains was agreed upon by both parties and might be signed at the next round of meetings.
Meanwhile the situation in Darfur is worsening, with the rising number of IDPs and refugees pouring into Chad. Both the U.S. and the U. N. have sent special envoys to the region this month and have demanded greater access for international humanitarian agencies in the region. The fighting in Darfur poses a serious potential threat to the Sudan peace negotiations and pressure is being put on the Government of Sudan to relax travel restrictions and respect a cease-fire.
USAID/OTI Highlights
A. Narrative Summary
The Sudan Radio Service, supported through OTI partner Educational Development Center, continues to provide news and information in nine languages to Sudanese in both Sudan and the diaspora. Responses to the service continue to be overwhelmingly positive. EDC has received spontaneous call-ins with news reports from Darfur residents, SPLM soldiers, missionaries and international agencies in the region and other regions as knowledge of and access to the service grows.
January broadcasts included recordings from the field of women singing health messages, HIV awareness messages, cultural programming and civic education programming. Specific programs included:
- Nimule peace conference.
- Zande language listener feedback program.
- Panel discussion on post-conflict role of women in Sudan.
- Health special on sleeping sickness.
- Part one of special on agriculture in Sudan.
January also saw an increase in access to information from the field with two new stringers signing on as SRS journalists and increasing dialogue from the field in the form of emails, phone calls and letters.
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| Reader of Sudan Mirror newspaper. |
In other media work, the small grants program has provided support for a new radio transmitter relay in the Kidepo Valley region. This relay will enable expanded access to information in the Equatoria region of southern Sudan.
The OTI sponsored Sudan Mirror, an English-language newspaper, continues to increase distribution and will expand its audience through support to print in Arabic. As a result, the Mirror will reach Arabic reading populations on topics including awareness campaigns (HIV, mines), news on the peace process, security, self determination, refugees, disarmament, IDPs, and arms.
OTI partner Christian Aid (CA) continues to work with southern Sudanese participants in the construction of a new government and civil society.
B. Grant Activity Summary – USAID/OTI Sudan
OTI PACT Small Grants initiative continues to grow. As of January 31, 25 grants for a total of $876,050 have been issued. New grants in January include:
- Civil society mapping activities.
- Water management system support for pilot sites.
- Radio relay station for increased access to information in Equatoria.
- Provisions for a law encyclopedia.
Pact field staff were increased during January with a fully staffed camp in Kapoeta and a partially staffed camp in Rumbek. Work in the Upper Nile will be supported through a planned site representation, with recruitment already underway. An OTI orientation/strategic plan review in early March will train new Sudanese staff in grant design and implementation.
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
- OTI/PACT staff to finalize the recruitment process for the new Sudanese staff in Upper Nile and Bahr El Gazal.
- EDC and OTI will continue working to finalize agreements with Government of Kenya that will facilitate work permits and tax free status to the radio station and its expatriate employees.
- Preparation for OTI PACT review of strategic plan.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington, D.C: Bailey Hand, Sudan Program Manager, Tel: (202) 712-0795, bhand@usaid.gov
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