Sudan
OVERVIEW
The effects of conflict and insecurity continue to reverberate as Sudan approaches its 2009 national elections. Since the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) officially ended the North-South civil war, nearly 2 million displaced people have returned to their communities in Southern Sudan and the Three Areas (Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Abyei). But the lack of basic infrastructure and institutional capacity impedes economic and social progress. At the same time, more than 2.7 million people have been driven from their homes in Darfur, where, despite the signing of a peace agreement in 2006, conflict and banditry persist.
The U.S. Government is the leading international donor to Sudan, providing more than $5 billion in assistance since 2005. As part of the United States' commitment to support the peace process, save lives, and safeguard human rights, USAID programs promote stability, recovery, and democratic reform and provide basic health and education services to the Sudanese people.
PROGRAMS
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
In Darfur, where conflict affects more than 4.7 million people, USAID is providing life-saving assistance and laying the groundwork for a transition to peace. In other areas of Sudan, USAID meets immediate humanitarian needs while funding activities that support the CPA , lead to longer-term recovery, and support Sudan's transition to peace and security. In 2008 alone, USAID provided $137.3 million countrywide for health services, water, nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, shelter and settlements.
FOOD AID
Since 2004, USAID has provided more than 65 percent of all contributions received by the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) for Sudan. Despite persistent insecurity and violence, WFP has been able to reach over 90 percent of its target caseload in Darfur each month. As a result, malnutrition rates there have fallen since the peak of the crisis in 2004. In 2008, USAID provided $512.1 million countrywide toward food aid to support vulnerable people. Priorities include assisting returnees and displaced people, providing basic services in underserved areas, and improving food security through increased agricultural production.
PEACE AND SECURITY
USAID promotes the emergence of an active, empowered civil society that monitors the progress of peace accords and advocates for change. USAID promotes improved access to independent information and strengthens the capacity of local government to address the root causes of conflict along Sudan's contested North-South border. In Darfur, USAID has provided displaced women with the skills and resources to pursue income-generating activities that reduce the risk of sexual violence. USAID has also expanded monitoring of human rights violations in Darfur and supported precedent-setting prosecution of sexual violence cases.
GOVERNING JUSTLY AND DEMOCRATICALLY
In Southern Sudan and the Three Areas, USAID is supporting democratic governance and assisting the CPA's key political processes. Activities work to strengthen the core institutions of the Government of Southern Sudan and develop systems to meet citizen needs and government priorities at the regional and state levels. This assistance is being expanded to the Three Areas to enhance local governments' ability to transparently manage resources, deliver tangible peace dividends, and increase incomes. USAID also supports implementation of key CPA milestones-the 2008 census, the 2009 national elections, popular consultations in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, and the 2011 referendum on unity. In support of these goals, USAID is assisting the administration of these processes, promoting civic participation and consensus building, and supporting international observation.
INVESTING IN PEOPLE
USAID health and education programs focus on delivering peace dividends to the people of Sudan. USAID programs strengthen maternal and child health services and reduce the burden of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases. Access to health services is increased by training county medical officers and conducting national immunization days and polio eradication campaigns. To improve education, USAID rehabilitates schools, trains teachers, and mobilizes parent-teacher associations to increase Sudan's capacity to provide quality primary and secondary education, especially for girls.
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Years of neglect have left Southern Sudan and the Three Areas with limited transport, energy, and communications capacity. Infrastructure is essential to linking isolated communities and enabling the development of markets. USAID activities improve roads, assist in electrification, support agriculture, bolster private sector competitiveness, support improved land policies, and promote better environmental management of the Boma-Jonglei landscape and its rich biodiversity.
USAID Sudan Strategy Statement
USAID Monthly Update, November 2007 (pdf,432kb) | View the Sudan Monthly Update Archive
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