| Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC May 8, 2006 United States Policy on SudanThe United States is committed to ending the violence and providing assistance to the suffering people of Darfur, as well as ensuring the peaceful democratic transformation throughout Sudan. The U.S. recently re-established a USAID mission in Sudan and is the largest single donor to Sudan, providing 85 percent of the food distributions by the World Food Program thus far in 2006, and more than $1.3 billion in FY 2005 money to fund humanitarian, reconstruction, and peacekeeping needs in both Darfur and other regions in Sudan. The United States is working to implement North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement and to support the development of the Government of Southern Sudan. We are contributing to reducing mortality and to helping over 3.5 million people suffering from violence and deprivation in Darfur. Along with the African Union and other international partners, the United States led the way in achieving the Darfur Peace Agreement, signed by the Government of National Unity and the largest rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Movement, led by Mini Menawi on May 5, 2006, in Abuja, Nigeria. The Darfur Peace Agreement represents a historic opportunity to achieve lasting peace and reconciliation in Darfur. Like the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Darfur Peace Agreement is a framework through which to promote peace, stability, and democratic transformation. The United States, with its international partners, strongly supports the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) of approximately 7,200 peacekeeping troops, military observers, civilian police, and civilian staff in Darfur and its rapid transition to a UN peacekeeping operation. The United States supports 34 AMIS camps, maintenance of vehicles and communications equipment, pre-deployment training of Rwandan and Senegalese troops, and has helped airlift Rwandan troops into Darfur. The United States has contributed some $220 million since 2004 and has requested additional funding in the FY 2006 supplemental for continued support of AMIS. The United States has supported an increased NATO role in assisting AMIS to develop improved planning and logistics capacity and NATO airlift. In the south of Sudan, the United States has contributed $132 million to the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) peacekeeping effort in FY 2005 and $113 million so far in FY 2006. The United States has led UN Security Council actions on Sudan and Darfur, seeking a speedy transition from AMIS to a larger UN peacekeeping operation as called for by the AU and noted in UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1663. It supports accountability for the genocide in Darfur and effective implementation of targeted sanctions. With United States leadership, the Security Council approved UNSCR 1672 which applies targeted sanctions in the form of a travel ban and asset freeze on four specific individuals responsible for committing heinous crimes on the people of Darfur. The United States supports the on-going deployment of UN peacekeeping troops in Southern Sudan and an early expansion into Darfur.
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