More than a year into Sudan’s civil war, the country is facing the “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis” as international aid struggles to find its way to those in need, says USIP’s Susan Stigant: “At this point, unfortunately, all of the efforts collectively are not meeting the needs” of Sudanese citizens.
U.S. Institute of Peace experts discuss the latest foreign policy issues from around the world in On Peace, a brief weekly collaboration with SiriusXM's POTUS Channel 124.
Transcript
Laura Coates: Let's turn our attention to what's happening abroad as well. I mean, we are a nation that is often looking at not only other nation's elections, but also unrest and violence, knowing the role the United States plays on the global stage. And also, what it's like to know that there are conflicts that are lasting over a better part of a year and beyond whether it's going from Ukraine to Sudan. Joining us now is Susan Stigant from USIP's Africa Center. She is the director. She joins us now. Susan, welcome and good morning. How are you?
Susan Stigant: Good morning, Laura. Thanks for having me on. I'm well, thanks.
Laura Coates: I'm glad that you're here. You know, people may not know as much about what's happening in Sudan, as they do say in Ukraine. Can you bring us up to speed and what has now been more than a year of conflict?
Susan Stigant: Yes. Well, Sudan, if we were talking about it five years ago, would have been a very good news story. When people young and old across the country across the political spectrum joined together, non-violently to call for the overthrow of the authoritarian leader, Omar Al Bashir. But over the last several years, what looked like the promise of a democratic ally country has turned into what is the world's worst humanitarian crisis. So, at this point, a year and a half almost into a war that is between the country's armed forces, and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces. More than 10 million people are displaced in the country, the largest displacement crisis ever recorded, inside of a single country. 2 million people have been pushed from their homes. 25 million people do not get enough food on a daily basis. And at this stage, the fighting is continuing to spread and deepen towards the east of the country, as well as in the west, which raises further concerns of the humanitarian consequences. But also risks bringing in neighboring countries, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Chad, Libya, places that are also going through their own very fragile political transitions. And this really risks a further escalation across the region in East Africa and in the Horn of Africa.
Laura Coates: I understand that there were some U.N. brokered Sudan ceasefire talks, but one party was a no show.
Susan Stigant: Well, there have been many and multiple efforts to try to get the men who are fighting to the table to stop the fighting. Most recently, the United Nations invited the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to Geneva. Both delegations did show up, at this stage they are having what's called proximity talks. So, they don't sit in a room together. But the United Nation's mediators move between the parties to try to better understand what it would take for them to put down their guns, even for a short term to allow humanitarian assistance to reach those in most need.
Laura Coates: When you're looking and hearing about the role of not only the United Nations, but is the United States playing any profound or influential role in what's been going on? And if not, why not?
Susan Stigant: Well, the U.S. has played several important roles. First, the initial set of talks that were convened when the war started, were co-facilitated by the United States and by Saudi Arabia. So, there were multiple rounds of talks that managed to get signatures on a page, but didn't actually deliver very much in terms of halting the violence or getting humanitarian assistance in. I think the U.S. is still figuring out how it can work with its partners at the African Union at the U.N., in Gulf countries who have a significant stake in what's taking place in Sudan. The United States is the largest humanitarian donor to Sudan and has provided significant amounts of funding. But at this point, unfortunately, all of the efforts collectively are not matching the needs. And I think one of the major gaps is figuring out how to ensure that United States is pushing in the same direction of its allies, of institutions like the U.N., because a scale of crisis like this takes some very courageous steps and takes a common approach amongst international partners.
Laura Coates: Is there, I mean, with the numbers, you've just raised millions of lives up ended displacement as a crisis famine, imminent, if not already present. What can be done? And where are the funding resources to allow it? Is it a matter of the funding? Is it a matter of the aid being siphoned off? What is the way to end at least what's happening for the civilians?
Susan Stigant: Well, it's going to take push in many different directions. I mean, in the on the first front, additional resources are required. The request and estimates for what is needed are about $2.7 billion, international partners pledged 2.1 billion, but much of that has not yet been delivered to humanitarian organizations who can deliver. The second challenge is gaining access. And this is in part because the Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces are limiting access and negotiating access in a very political way. And so, that's going to take some courageous steps and some push by the international community. And then I think the third challenge is figuring out how humanitarian assistance can be delivered in ways that are quite innovative. The bright spot in all of this is that Sudanese have come together in what are called community kitchens and emergency response rooms. And these are essentially self-help groups, voluntary groups, where community members are helping each other, are aggregating the food they have available, are drawing on identifying people who can provide medical support or sourcing medicines, often, in very, very difficult circumstances. And in my mind, this is the basis of the future of Sudan. This is the hope, this is the foundation of that non-violent revolution that took place and is really not very costly. In terms of supporting these local initiatives inside of the country that continue.
Laura Coates: Is there enough of a focus you think, on Sudan? I mean, I think a lot of people, if I were to pull the average person, would have perhaps a far and deeper and more nuanced understanding of other wars that are happening across the globe. Sudan, I think, has escaped many people's focus. And I do wonder if that same focus or informed sense of the current events, does that also happen with our leadership with our members of Congress and beyond? Do you think there has been enough of a focus?
Susan Stigant: I think a crisis like this does require leadership at the very top levels. Sudan has been in war in the past, people will remember the crisis in Darfur in the early 2000s. And at that time, we know that the President of the United States and heads of state around the world were talking about this issue every single day. Given what's happening in the Middle East, given what's happening in Ukraine and with Russia, given what's happening in Haiti, Sudan is not on the top of the priority list. There are certainly champions, the United States appointed a special envoy to lead the diplomatic effort. And if there is going to be a serious attempt to halt the starvation and stop the war, more attention will be needed.
Laura Coates: Really important to have this conversation this morning with you, Susan Stigant, thank you so much for joining us. She's the director of Africa programs at the U.S. Institute of Peace, where she leads programming in East Africa and the greater Horn and also in the Red Sea arena and with the African Union. Thank you for joining us today.
Susan Stigant: Thanks for having me on, Laura.