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Press Release
27 March 2023
Cereal production improves while food insecurity persists in the Sudan – new report finds
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Story
19 March 2023
Empowering women in North Darfur
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Press Release
09 March 2023
Norway, FAO support Sudanese smallholders’ farmers and agro-pastoralists value chain in the face of climate change
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals in Sudan
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Sudan:
Story
19 March 2023
Empowering women in North Darfur
As part of the Wadi El Ku Catchment Management project, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in partnership with non-governmental organization Practical Action, has implemented village saving and loan association (VSLA) groups in El Fasher, Kelamindo, Kutum, Alwaha and Ramallah in Sudan’s North Darfur State. The main objective of these groups is to help pastoralists and farmers benefit from natural resources management activities in the Wadi El Ku catchment area.
Through a system of savings and loans, VSLA groups allow women and men to manage household cash flow, build a capital base and work collaboratively on income generating projects.
More particularly, the VSLA groups within the Wadi El Ku project opened economic opportunities for women, who shoulder the responsibility of providing for their families in Darfur. During 2021 and 2022, 73 per cent of women members of the VSLA groups benefited from the loan they managed in their loan boxes.
As part of the project in North Darfur, women have seen improvements in their daily lives. Having access to loans allowed them to start their own small businesses, such as shop, sell agricultural products in larger markets and receive raw materials to create artisanal products.
In North Darfur State, women in pastoralists settlements have intentionally lived in closed communities and with close to no contact with neighbouring groups, especially farming communities. Traditionally, they create ornaments with materials such as leather, shells, mirrors and other decorative items. These are used on special occasions, including weddings, or to decorate the walls of common areas in villages.
In Ramallah, the project team initiated a handicrafts training with 45 women. The organization provided the community with raw materials and helped elder women to train younger community members.
The project has taught women how to start and manage a small business while bringing women from pastoralist and farmer communities together, breaking down communications barriers.
The training, which lasted 15 days, included a payment of 60,000 Sudanese pounds (US$100) to motivate the members of the community to participate. Once the training was over, the women decided to gather and discuss how to use this money. They concluded they would each give 5,000 Sudanese pounds (US$8) to rebuild a local school.
As women, they felt the responsibility to bring some change with the income they earned. This was the first example of income sharing and monetary cooperation within the community. The rest of the money went to buy goats, chickens, blankets and other household items.
It’s still unknown if the handicraft production could become a viable business. But participants say the project brought them a sense of purpose and elevated their roles in the community. Moreover, it increased social cohesion between two groups that were rarely exposed to each other’s presence and between which there is often rivalry for natural resources. This helped to create peace and stability in the area.
“The team brought all the raw materials and encouraged handicrafts in a creative way,” said Hamraa Moussa, a 27-year-old mother of five from Ramallah Damra, Um Saiala. “Before, old people were the only ones doing handicrafts and the only activities of young people were to bring water, cook and clean the house. As women, we had nothing to do.”
Experts say that economic empowerment positively affects the dynamics within the household and enhances women’s status in the community by promoting their participation in events and public spaces, including in natural resource governance discussions.
Experiences from other projects in the region and in Sudan, for example, showed that when women are involved in natural resource governance mechanisms, plans and policies more accurately address the range of peacebuilding and environmental challenges communities face. The new role women acquire in pastoralist communities also allows them to travel to other states and share their knowledge and skills with other groups, including farmers.
“Last year, the project team arranged for a group of women to travel to North Kordofan. I was able to join the group, and share my experience with communities over there,” said Hamraa Moussa.
UNEP, in collaboration with the Sudan state government in North Darfur and Practical Action, is finalizing the implementation of the second phase of the Wadi El Ku Catchment Management project, which began in 2018. This project aims to expand and promote scientific and technical information for improved integrated water resources management, inclusive natural resource management and early warning systems.
The project saw the construction of several weirs, irrigation channels, community forests, shelter belts and other interventions that have already improved the livelihood of 100,000 people while restoring natural resources.
The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNEP in partnership with the Government of Sudan and the non-governmental organization Practical Action.
Follow the links to learn more about UNEP in Sudan:
www.unep.org/SUDAN
facebook.com/UNEnvironmentSudan
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Story
03 October 2022
UN-Habitat, UNHCR and partners launch the Peace Building Fund project on “Peacebuilding and Human Rights in Support of Durable Solutions for IDPs and Affected Communities: The Right to Adequate Housing in West Darfur”
West Darfur - UN-Habitat together with its partners UNHCR and the UN Peacebuilding Fund Secretariat (PBF) have launched the project: “Peacebuilding and Human Rights in Support of Durable Solutions for IDPs and Affected Communities: The Right to Adequate Housing in West Darfur”. The launch workshop, held at the University of El-Genaina Conference Hall, West Darfur, was attended by 58 participants, representing the State Ministry of Infrastructure and Urban Development, Nomads Commission, Voluntary Return Reintegration Commission, native administration, Land Registration authorities, HAC, local authorities, and local community representatives including internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The Right to Adequate Housing project will make a direct contribution to peacebuilding efforts through addressing key issues impeding the realization of human rights in West Darfur, which in turn contribute to the perpetuation of intercommunal violence and further inhibit the achievement of durable solutions.
The project will support the peaceful returns and resettlements of the IDPs in three key localities through the provision of resettlement spatial plans, creation of viable options and guiding principles for the voluntary and sustainable return, local integration, and/or relocation of IDPs. The project will enhance of access to effective mechanisms that clarify housing, land and property (HLP) rights in compliance with relevant international human rights standards, as well as support access to civil documentation. It will also contribute to self-reliance of IDPs, returnees, nomads, and non-displaced communities, particularly male and female youth, through capacity development on self-help reconstruction using an environmentally sensitive and affordable building materials (Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks: ISSB), which will inform the national and state housing policy framework. The project will also work to enhance social cohesion among different communities in support of durable solutions.
Mr. Ulan Shabynov, PBF Programme Coordinator, opened the workshop. He highlighted PBF focus areas for sustainable peace in Sudan with emphasis on Darfur, and the importance of the project to promote durable solutions and coexistence for IDPs and affected communities.
Mr. Abdulrahman Mustafa, a representative from UN-Habitat, in his opening remarks outlined UN-Habitat’s work in addressing the issue of conflict-induced recurrent displacement in Darfur, security of tenure, access to effective mechanisms that clarify HLP rights in compliance with international human rights standards, and capacity development on self-help reconstruction using ISSB.
Ms. Jacqueline Parlevliet, Representative of UNHCR, mentioned their roles and deep concerns around providing returnees protection and supporting access to obtaining proper civil documentation. Moreover Mr. Mohamed Habib, Assistant Protection Officer, provided an overview of the intended activities.
Mr. Younis Ishag, Directorate General, Ministry of Infrastructure and Urban Development, appreciated the long partnership between the Ministry and UN-Habitat in terms of capacity building of technical staff at state and locality level, and the provision of survey equipment during the previous years. He said, “The capacity development packages enhanced the performance of the institution to achieve tasks beyond expectations”.
Dr. Alawia Mukhtar, Women Representative of CBOs in West Darfur, mentioned that “the condition of gathering sites is tragic. We are asking the international community for rapid response to the basic needs of IDPs in 94 gathering locations, addressing issues of transitional justice and protection of civilians in West Darfur State.”
In three years, the project is intended to serve as a pilot to demonstrate an alternative way of addressing Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights in support of voluntary and sustainable return, local integration, and/or relocation of IDPs.
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Story
03 August 2022
From seeds to life - my visit to South Darfur
While looking across fields of abundance and imminent harvest, it is important to remember that they grew from tiny seeds that were planted and nurtured by their planters and rain, and, in South Darfur, protected from destruction to allow them to grow.
Having visited South Darfur together with UN senior officials on 1 August, the importance of the harvest cannot be understated. People’s livelihoods depend on agriculture and livestock production, with the main crops cultivated including sorghum, millet, groundnut, sesame and hibiscus. However, the combined effects of crises from the economic downturn, climate change (including erratic rains last year) and conflict are significantly affecting people’s access to food in Sudan: 22 per cent of the population in the state face food insecurity.
To counter this, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) received 12 million in funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support local food production in 14 states across Sudan, including in South Darfur, where 110,000 people are receiving support. This includes quality sorghum seeds to improve household grain production and strengthen resilience around food security and nutrition.
During my visit to South Darfur, I was able to see the distribution of seeds and talk to the communities that had received and planted them. I was also able to see the work being carried out by other UN agencies and humanitarian organizations to reduce the population’s vulnerability to food insecurity.
The community leaders with whom I spoke were very grateful for the seeds and the support they had received – they are expecting a good harvest – but they also uniformly told me that their main need now is for the protection of their crops. They also communicated that they would like even earlier support as well as crop-related equipment and maintenance.
I was particularly pleased to speak to women representatives about the importance of securing crops and their protection, who spoke of the need for training and capacity building for women in professions like agriculture.
A key challenge is tensions between farmers and herders regarding the use of grazing land. They need to share. In previous years - due mainly to climatic reasons - herders have moved earlier in the year from north to south in Darfur, which has caused disruptions to farming. This is why it is so important that Crop Protection Committees function across Darfur, where the different community representatives - including women - can discuss and agree on ways forward that are mutually beneficial to herders and farmers.
One step in the right direction has been the initial demarcation of migratory routes by the authorities in South Darfur, which allows farmers and herders to know where herders’ cattle will be grazed. However, more still needs to be done. Protection is key, especially for women who are exposed to the risk of Sexual and Gender Based Violence when going to their farms.
I was glad to be able to witness the transformational impact of the support provided by UN and humanitarian organizations, and I would like to thank our generous CERF donors for their vital contributions.
The seeds that were given to communities in South Darfur through humanitarian funds have the power to change the lives of tens of thousands, so never underestimate the power of planting a seed.
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Press Release
16 July 2022
UNHCR and WHO join hands to improve access to health for refugees in Sudan
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and WHO, the World Health Organization, signed a Letter of Understanding on 06 July 2022 to enhance health services for refugees and host communities in Sudan. Building on a 2020 Global Memorandum of Understanding, the agreement enacts the two agencies’ first national comprehensive partnership beyond emergency responses.
Sudan’s health system is buckling under several recurrent crises, with the current situation further exacerbating health and nutrition conditions for refugees and the communities which host them. Areas where refugees live often have limited health infrastructure and suffer shortages of medical personnel and supplies.
“We are glad to make official our continuing collaboration at a time when multiple emergencies and the ongoing economic crisis are undermining a fragile health system,” said Dr. Ni’ma Saeed Abid, WHO representative in Sudan. “The Sudanese health system will also benefit from the know-how and from our renewed joint efforts towards health for all,” Abid added.
The UN agencies will also strengthen their advocacy to Sudan’s government on key health issues affecting refugees, such as their full access to national health services.
“Health is a fundamental right for everyone. This agreement will help us support refugees access vital health services in the country,” said Axel Bisschop, UNHCR’s Representative in Sudan. “Increasing access to healthcare for forcibly displaced populations is one of the pledges Sudan made at the Global Refugee Forum in 2019. Therefore, this agreement is a good opportunity for UNHCR to continue its support to Sudan in meeting their commitments,” Bisschop added.
Among the main joint achievements in 2022, UNHCR and WHO supported early warning systems to detect potential disease outbreaks in a timely manner, in order to effect swift action and avoid further spread. The agencies continue to provide medicines and medical supplies to primary health facilities in refugee locations across the country, with about 32 such facilities also accessible by local populations.
The new partnership defines UNHCR and WHO roles and strategic areas of collaboration, maximizing coordination — including with national authorities — and optimising resources when responding to refugee influxes and other emergencies affecting both refugees and Sudanese.
Sudan hosts one of the largest refugee populations in Africa. As of 31 May 2022, over 1.1 million refugees are hosted in the country, mainly from South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic.
END
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Salim Mohamednour, WHO/Khartoum, mohamednours@who.int
Giulia Raffaelli, UNHCR/Khartoum, Mob: +249 91 216 7016 raffaelg@unhcr.org
Faith Kasina, UNHCR/Nairobi, Mob: +254 113 427 094 kasina@unhcr.org
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Story
01 June 2022
FAO scales up response to soaring acute food insecurity exacerbated by potential impacts of the war in Ukraine
Rome – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is intensifying efforts to address soaring acute food insecurity in the Sudan which is driven by the combined impacts of armed conflict, drought, COVID-19, low production of key staple crops related to infestation by pests and diseases, and economic turmoil.
According to the FAO Humanitarian Response Plan 2022 for the Sudan, 10.9 million people or 30 percent of Sudanese are expected to need life‑sustaining support in 2022, the highest number in the past decade.
In response to the dire food security situation - a situation which risks being further exacerbated by the cascading effects of the Ukraine conflict, FAO has launched a new project funded by the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which aims to restore the food security and nutrition of affected farming and pastoral communities in the Sudan through provision of emergency agriculture and livestock supplies.
This vital $12 million contribution from CERF - the largest single allocation to FAO by CERF to date - will support urgent efforts to build the resilience of resource-poor farmers and pastoralists in the Sudan’s 14 most severely affected counties.
“This generous contribution from CERF means that FAO can urgently provide essential agricultural inputs to vulnerable farming households before the main agriculture season starts in June. It will ensure that they can produce enough food to meet their needs for the months to come,” said Babagana Ahmadu, FAO Representative to the Sudan.
Responding to crises and building resilience
The project will target 180 000 households or 900 000 people among the most vulnerable farming and pastoralist communities including internally displaced people, returnees, refugees and resident households. With two‑thirds of the population living in the Sudan’s rural areas, providing smallholder farmers with agricultural support is essential to the humanitarian response.
The project covers both agricultural and livestock assistance, which aims at rapidly reducing dependence on emergency food assistance and provides a basis for medium- and longer-term recovery. This assistance includes the provision of certified crop, legume and vegetable seeds, donkey ploughs and hand tools, veterinary vaccines and drugs, animal protein-rich concentrate feed, and mineral licks; as well as donkey carts and productive animals. It also includes provision of cash and the rehabilitation of community productive assets such as small-scale water infrastructure, hafirs, pasture and other.
The situation looks grim for millions as the war in Ukraine is causing further spikes in food prices, as the Sudan is dependent on wheat imports from the Black Sea region. Interruption to the flow of grain into the Sudan will increase prices and make it more difficult to import wheat. Currently, local prices of wheat are at over $550 per tonne – an increase of 180 percent compared with the same period in 2021.
Furthermore, the current high prices for fertilizers on global markets will inevitably weigh in Sudan’s ability to import, potentially jeopardising the country’s ongoing and upcoming crops.
For these reasons, this CERF allocation is timely and vital. In addition, FAO urgently needs another $35 million to ensure adequate support for two million vulnerable farming and pastoral households to produce their own food, keep their livestock alive and productive, strengthening their resilience.
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Story
21 December 2022
WHO leading the humanitarian response to the escalation of violence in Sudan’s Blue Nile State
A recent wave of conflict between 2 rival camps in Sudan’s Blue Nile State – Hausa and Fonj-Hamaj – has reportedly led to 300 people killed and another 236 injured since 13 October 2022. Along with limiting access to health facilities, this precarious situation has also resulted in the cessation of farming, trade, and daily activities, as well as the displacement of 71 406 individuals, who fled their homes to adjacent shelter camps for internally displaced populations (IDPs). WHO was among the first respondents to the health emergencies resulting from the escalation of violence.
Along with handing the State Ministry of Health trauma and emergency surgery kits for 300 major interventions, and interagency emergency health kits to cover the basic health needs of 30 000 IDPs for 3 months, WHO also deployed a team of emergency medical specialists to Damazine main hospital, which receives a high burden of injuries on a daily basis.
Since October 2022, WHO has also been supporting the operational costs of 4 mobile clinics in several of the state’s towns – notably in Wd Elmahi and Gaisan localities – as well as organizing training on mass casualty management for the Damazine Hospital medical staff.
“A team from WHO’s Emergency Response Programme was deployed to assess more populous IDP camps (Alqasam and Abo Alfayd in Damazine; Omer Al Mokhtar, Nusaiba Bint Kaab and Hanim Rizq in Rosairis), identify critical gaps, and provide technical support to the State Ministry of Health and IDPs with needed interventions. The Organization has also led the Health Cluster in daily Emergency Operations Centre meetings to coordinate an efficient response,” said Dr Ni’ma Saeed Abid, WHO Representative in Sudan.
While food is secured through the World Food Programme – who donated seeds, grain, sugar, wheat, and oil to most camps –medicines, vaccines and medical supplies have been secured by WHO to cover the next 3 months.
Beside maintaining active surveillance for outbreak-potential diseases, WHO is developing a plan to support water, sanitation and hygiene activities in IDP gathering areas. Further needs of the IDP camps include protection and security, as individuals from both ethnicities reside unguarded with no physical barriers to protect against attack. As no schooling activity was observed in any camp, the schooling of children is also a high-priority need. Other urgent needs include increasing the number of toilets and latrines, improving hygiene and raising community awareness. While water is secured in all camps, mostly through the city network which does not require monitoring, Omer Al Mokhtar camp needs chlorination and monitoring as its water source is a tanker filled on a daily basis.
WHO and partner UN agencies, along with international and national nongovernmental organizations, are working closely with counterpart state ministries to secure improved living conditions for IDPs and initiate peace agreements across the region.
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Story
12 December 2022
Supporting local peace and development initiatives and providing life-saving humanitarian aid
Our UN team in Sudan, led by Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Khardiata Lo N'Diaye, is supporting local peace and development initiatives while providing life-saving humanitarian aid in Central Darfur.
Central Darfur is facing high levels of violence, insecurity, and displacement. With the support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are training 180 young people to promote peace in their communities and access civic spaces from which they have been excluded.
For their part, UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are collecting data to better inform effective programming for higher impact.
Through the US$20 million Darfur programme, the UN Children's Fund, UNDP, and UNHCR have implemented initiatives to strengthen the rule of law and provide essential services.
The UN team helped set up a dozen community reconciliation committees to resolve conflicts with an 89 per cent success rate, provided 56,600 people with access to water, and enabled 5,657 people to obtain civil registration documents to access essential services and register land.
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Story
06 October 2022
UN-Habitat and UNESCO promote vernacular architecture to enhance Socio-cultural sustainability in Sudan
UN-Habitat together with its partner UNESCO have conducted the “Joint Workshop for Young Architects on Promotion of Vernacular Architecture to Enhance Socio-cultural Sustainability”, at Petronas Complex Conference Hall, Khartoum, with the attendance of around 30 youth representatives with the profession of architect and urban planning coming from seven universities in Sudan. The workshop was divided into five working groups with the lead of five experts in the domain of architecture and socio-cultural sustainability.
Historically, vernacular architecture in Sudan has a great variety: the vernacular human settlements, hamlets and villages that materializes inhabitant’s desire and capacity to exchange and co-existence under the social and cultural differences, and to maintain the conditions of social cohesions.
UN-Habitat/UNESCO joint initiative aimed to hear the voice and ideas of youth who represent around two thirds of population in Sudan, to promote the preservation of Sudanese vernacular architecture, use of local building materials, and brainstorm on the methods, ways, and design alternatives to conservation of vernacular architecture and human settlements.
Mr. Masayuki Yokota, Head of Country Programme, UN-Habitat Sudan, welcomed attendees and appreciated active preparatory works by the youth and the experts, and highlighted the importance of UN-Habitat’s support to youth empowerment for the contribution to the creation of better urban future and sustainable urbanization without leaving valuable socio-cultural assets of Sudanese community behind. Mr. Yokota also emphasized importance of the joint-inclusive exercise to unlock opportunities to progress the 2030 Agenda in particular SDG11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, and one of its target 11.4 as a common objective of UN-Habitat and UNESCO. He also indicated’ it’s our duty to support creating platforms for youth to brainstorm and to innovate on sustaining socio-cultural assets of the country’s urbanization process, capacitate them, as youth are key agents to the development and peace for Sudan.
In his opening remarks, Mr. George Papagiannis, Head of the UNESCO Office in Khartoum, Sudan, underlined that historically the built environment is organized and based on the needs of a community, and it is a direct representation of its identity; it reflects traditions, culture, and norms. Mr. Papagiannis emphasized that UNESCO is supporting these cultural sectors that is necessity for the future of the country. He also encouraged the young architects and urban planners to seize this opportunity to express their ideas, and perceptions on preservation of Sudanese culture and promote socio cultural sustainability.
Ms. Layla Osman, as an expert highlighted the need to prenservation of Sudanese culture, and utilization of Sudanese unique cultural phenomenon, for example, the tradition of Tea Ladies as an example of culture and gender work. A participant Mr. Abubakr Amer, young architect, commented ‘it was a great opportunity to meet experts in the domain of Vernacular architecture and culture, share knowledge and exchange experiences with other Sudanese practitioners. Another participant Ms. Esraa Abdelaziz, young architect, said ‘We learned about many types of local building materials, and structure alternatives that changed our perspective on use of materials in future design.
During the workshop, active participatory approach was applied during the sessions, as participants young architects were divided into 5 groups, facilitated by expert architects/conservation specialists, who worked together to propose design ideas to different exercises, the results were innovative proposals inspired by Sudanese culture on five different exercises such as Tea Ladies shaded seating structures, culture café in the national museum, accommodation facilities in Jabal Marra and Wadi Halfa, among others.
To scale up the workshop activity, the participants created a social media platform to share ideas and build on the outcomes of the workshop. In addition, UN-Habitat and UNESCO continuously engage the attendees to seek substantive actions for applying the recommendations on sustaining socio-cultural assets of the country.
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Story
03 August 2022
Crossing lines: Development driving collaboration in South Kordofan’s disputed areas
In Sudan’s South Kordofan, a history of conflict and underdevelopment means access to basic services is limited. While hostilities have ended, armed group SPLM-N (al-Hilu) retain control over several surrounding areas, with access limitations
But, UNDP-supported community development in El Abbasiya – in Government-controlled territory – is creating opportunities for cross-border collaboration, and living condition improvements on both sides
Community efforts have seen water access improved for 13,500 people in the area, and access to energy expanded for several communities
“The people here need training and opportunities, youth are energetic but need development projects. As the saying goes: ‘Don’t give me a fish but teach me how to fish’. We prefer development projects over humanitarian assistance because the latter make people dependent.” - Mamoun Salih Babiker, 27, community leader and local development project manager
At 27, State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare worker Mamoun Salih Babiker (above left) is passionate about creating opportunities and driving development in his community, addressing the significant needs that exist.
Improvements to limited services are being made – driven by a determined group of young people making up Al Abassiya’s Community Management Committee (above).
Describing the situation, Mamoun is frank: “There are opportunities in our area, like agriculture and business, but people need support. As a committee we work to help people. Our parents paid for our education, they need our help now, we are paying back less than they gave us.”
Mamoun leads the six-strong committee, one of 68 across Sudan, driving local development and peacebuilding initiatives. They draw on UNDP-provided management and mediation training, as well as agricultural machinery and supplies, including a generator.
Uniquely, this committee includes representatives from Al Abassiya – and SPLM-N (al-Hilu) – with both sides using the partnership to improve basic services, and relations between the two areas.
“We had existing water pumps in the village, but they had broken down, and increasing gasoline prices meant there was no fuel for the generator and pump and no revenue to cover these expenses,” explains Mamoun. “We offered to solve the problem.”
“We raised funds by renting out our tractor and accessories, had the pump fixed by local experts, and kept the tap free for people who couldn’t pay.”
“A barrel of water costs money – about 500SDGs – and some people cannot afford this. With the pump providing free water, people are able to use it for drinking water, home use and agriculture, and put that money towards other things.”
The committee also adopted a creative approach to helping young people and others on both sides of the disputed area.
Discussing energy access needs in his area, 26-year-old committee member and SPLM-N liaison Abdelbaqi Ahmed Abdelrahim (top image, right) says:
“The community has some needs, so we made the generator available to them [in SPLM-N (al-Hilu) areas], they can borrow it for events or to rent out if they need financial support.”
The committee decided to make the generator available free of charge, particularly for vulnerable groups like internally displaced people, to those in the SPLM-N (al-Hilu) areas who required it.
“The generator helps hundreds of people, anyone can ask for it, it moves back and forth a lot as needed, particularly for the wedding season in December.”
Originally from a nearby village, but now relocated to El Abbasiya, Abdelbaqi joined SPLM-N (al-Hilu) while studying at university. He felt compelled to support the committee as, “I stand by the community and youth – I believe in any project that will add value.”
Members of El Abbasiya’s Community Management Committee include: Mamoun Salih Babiker (Chairperson, 27), Abdelbaqi Ahmed Abdelrahim (26), Tarig Ahmed Adam, Hassan Mohamed Ebed, Najda Ali Adam (29, head of peacebuilding subcommittee), and Mona Adam Alamin.
Peace and stability are essential for development in Sudan. That makes them UNDP’s top priority. Our approach provides support on the national, state and local levels, combining efforts to address conflicts and their root causes. We aim to improve access to basic services, employment opportunities and fulfilment of essential needs for people all over the country. Additionally, we implement peacebuilding initiatives and provide conflict mediation to address problems when they occur. In 2021, UNDP supported over 1.5 million of Sudan’s most conflict-vulnerable people through stabilization projects.
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21 August 2022
Strengthening Sudan’s fragile peace
The killing of protestors by security services during large-scale demonstrations in Sudan’s capital Khartoum in June underscores the ongoing political tensions in the country. Against this backdrop, the UN is committed to sustain and build peace in Sudan, say UN Resident Coordinator Khardiata Lo Ndiaye, and Elizabeth Spehar, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support.
“The military coup of 25 October 2021 plunged Sudan into a political crisis with profound implications for the country’s development and peacebuilding prospects.
It also presented donors with a difficult question: how do we uphold our commitment to supporting Sudan’s most vulnerable without legitimizing an unconstitutional change?
While political crises clearly present challenges for international donors, the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is working to respond to such crises in a targeted and strategic way to ensure that essential support continues to reach those who need it most.
Peacebuilding projects expand
Against a backdrop of political tensions, inter-communal conflicts, large-scale displacement, economic crises, deepening inequalities, rising unemployment, devastating floods and popular protests for democratic reforms, the PBF has remained active in Sudan.
The PBF has the advantage of being an agile, adaptable and demand driven fund, enabling it to provide desperately needed funding even in high-risk environments like Sudan. Since the coup, the PBF's active portfolio and project pipeline has grown to cover twelve states, demonstrating that when crises strike, its commitment does not falter - it strengthens.
Alongside other projects – including its flagship programme which works to strengthen the rule of law and support local peacebuilding across the five Darfur states – the PBF added six new projects to the portfolio in 2021, with four more in the pipeline.
These pipeline projects include a new initiative in the disputed territory of Abyei and a USD 10 million investment in East Sudan, both of which adopt an area-based approach to stabilizing conflict-affected communities and enhancing their resilience to future crisis.
Based on an assessment of conflict hotspots and key conflict drivers for each area, the projects leverage the expertise of four UN agencies - UNICEF, UNDP, IOM and FAO to help restore access to basic services, including water and sanitation, roll out livelihoods support and job creation schemes, and strengthen community-level conflict resolution and natural resource management bodies.
Empowering local communities
So how do we navigate the complex political landscape to ensure support reaches those who need it most?
Part of the answer lies in the PBF’s community-based approach, which empowers local communities, promotes inclusive participation and strengthens the capacities of local governance and other community structures. In addition, this approach helps to improve relationships between different actors; fosters local ownership; directs funding to community-based organizations by expanding partnerships with CSOs; and foregrounds women and youth as agents of peaceful change and inclusive development.
With Sudan’s peacebuilding trajectory remaining fragile and uncertain, support from the international community - at the right time and in a targeted way - is critical. The question, then, is not whether development and peacebuilding partners should remain engaged, but how to remain engaged. Through its investments, the PBF is empowering local stakeholders to respond to the rapidly evolving situation on the ground in Sudan and ensuring relevant and reliable support to those who need it most”.
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Press Release
29 March 2023
Cereal production improves while food insecurity persists in the Sudan – new report finds
A recently released special report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 2022/23 Crops and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) has revealed significant improvements in cereal production in the Sudan. The mission was conducted at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests and in close collaboration with key partners, including the World Food Programme, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, and the United States Agency for International Development.
As the report indicates, most agricultural inputs, including seed, fertilizer, herbicides, fuel, and labour, were available in 2022 – but at a very high cost compared to the previous season. As a result, most farmers had to utilize the seeds they had saved from the previous year’s harvest due to high market prices.
“Although overall cereal production at national level is impressively better than the previous season, food insecurity at the household level remains a serious challenge,” said Adam Yao, FAO Representative a.i. in the Sudan. “Communities are facing differing scales of vulnerabilities driven by soaring prices of staple crops, and the combined effects of economic downturn, high inflation, climate-induced hazards and conflict.”
According to the report, the 2022 national cereal production, which includes sorghum, millet, and wheat crops (harvested in March 2023), is estimated at about 7.4 million tonnes – 45 percent above that obtained in 2021. Sorghum production alone is approximately 5.2 million tonnes, a 50 percent increase compared to the previous year. Millet output is estimated at 1.7 million tonnes, an 86 percent increase compared to 2021. However, the production of wheat to be harvested in March 2023 is forecasted at about 476 000 tonnes – a 30 percent decrease compared to 2021 due to a reduction in planted area in favor of legumes and spices.
This significant increase in total cereal production can be attributed to favorable weather conditions, in particular a good performance of the rainy season, supported by over 5 000 tonnes of quality seeds of improved varieties supplied by FAO to strengthen vulnerable households ‘own food production. With 95 percent of cultivated land under rain-fed agriculture, rainfall is an important driver of crop production.
Using the population projection of 47.6 million people for mid-2023[1], the cereal import requirements for the 2023 marketing year (January/December) are forecasted at 3.6 million tonnes, almost entirely of wheat, which will require an importation of 3.5 million tonnes to cover domestic consumption. This will have a major impact on the food security of millions of Sudanese people, as international prices of wheat continue to increase and the country’s national currency weakens.
By contrast, for sorghum and millet, surpluses of 484 000 tonnes and 679 000 tonnes are forecasted respectively.
“It is essential to continue enhancing domestic cereal production to strengthen the food security and resilience of the most vulnerable people in the Sudan”, emphasised Mr Yao.
# # #
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With over 194 member states, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. We believe that everyone can play a part in ending hunger.
[1] Data from Central Bureau of Statistics, 2023
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Press Release
13 March 2023
Norway, FAO support Sudanese smallholders’ farmers and agro-pastoralists value chain in the face of climate change
Khartoum - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) together with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Sudan and the Ministry of Agriculture conducted a three-day inception workshop of the project: ‘’ FAO Sudan smallholders and agro-pastoralists value chain support in the face of climate change’’ from 6 to 8 March.
The purpose of the workshop which gathered more than 150 participants was to provide a platform to key stakeholders – Smallholder farmers and pastoralists’ representatives, Federal and decentralized State authorities, the Norwegian Embassy, UN agencies, SMEs, Universities and Academia, NGOs, Civil Society Organizations, and others to review the project framework and develop recommendations to streamline the project design and activities to be implemented in the states of Sennar, White Nile, and Gedaref.
The Ambassador of Norway to Sudan in his opening remarks emphasized on the importance of supporting the agriculture sector and vulnerable smallholders and pastoralists to overcome their challenges to be self-reliant and produce enough food to strengthen their food and nutrition security to directly contribute to the achievement of key Sustainable Development Goals including the SDGs: 2, 1,5,8,12,13,16 and 17, and indirectly to other SDGs. The project is also in line with the national plan and strategy of the government of Sudan.
Agriculture production systems and food systems in Sudan must undergo a significant transformation in order to achieve sustainability, increase food security, and respond to climate change. “In this regards the project supported by the Embassy of Norway will develop an inclusive partnership with all key stakeholders to ensure that smallholder farmers, agro-pastoralists, and pastoralists supported by the project are more resilient, more productive, more efficient more profitable, and food-secured using watershed ecosystem management and climate-smart agriculture approaches”, said Adam Yao, FAO Representative a.i in Sudan.
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Press Release
23 February 2023
Joint Press Release: UN-Habitat Sudan Receives USD 605,222 from Japan to support Peaceful IDP returns to North Darfur, Sudan
El Fasher is one of the localities that host a largest number of IDPs who have been displaced for two decades. Due to the recent political and economic situations of the country, deteriorated security situations, and protracted displacement, the IDPs face precarious living conditions characterized by lack of basic services, lack of security of land tenure, and lack of livelihood options. Deprivation in these basic rights, in turn, worsens the vulnerability of IDPs towards economic crisis and food security.
Through the support of Japan, the project aims to support sustainable IDP returns and ensure human security of both the returned IDPs and host communities through the improvement in basic services and public facilities, securing land rights of returned IDPs and host community members, and ensuring the commitment of relevant actors towards guiding principle for sustainable, voluntary, dignified and safe return of IDP’s. The project also aims to enhance self-reliance of the returned IDPs and host communities, by training youth and women on self-help construction using the environmentally sensitive and affordable Stabilized Soil Blocks (SSB).
His Excellency Mr. Takashi Hattori, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of the Sudan expressed that “It is our honor to continue our work with UN-Habitat Sudan through our project ‘Emergency Support to IDP Returns in El Fasher Locality, North Darfur State’. The Government of Japan has long been a strong advocate of and contributor to improving human security globally. I sincerely hope that this project would contribute to ensuring the human security of both the returned IDPs and host community members, which perfectly aligns with our vision in ensuring sustainable and durable peace.”
Mr. Masayuki Yokota, Head of UN-Habitat Country Programme highlighted the critical challenges in Darfur, where the vulnerability of IDPs are heightened due to the recent political, economic and security situations, requiring urgent attention and practical solutions to build their resilience and to ensure human security. Particularly, a large number of IDPs living in informal settlements around major cities and towns lead to unplanned, rapid urbanization in urban peripheries without adequate basic services and infrastructure, which negatively affect the host communities. Mr. Yokota expressed his gratitude to the Government of Japan for their support to the project that addresses the urgent need to improve the human security situations of IDPs and host communities, and at the same time contributes to the long-germ resilience of returned IDPs and host communities through improved access to livelihood for local youth and women, basic services and land rights.
Japan also provided UN-Habitat Sudan with support for sustainable IDP returns and peaceful coexistence of IDPs and host communities in Eid Elfursan and Alsalam Localities, South Darfur State, and Tawilla Locality, North Darfur State in recent years.
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Press Release
02 February 2023
UN rights expert Radhouane Nouicer’s statement at end of first official visit
Sudan: UN rights expert Radhouane Nouicer’s statement at end of first official visit
Khartoum, 2 February 2023
Good afternoon. Thank you all for coming.
As you may be aware, I was appointed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights as his Designated Expert on the human rights situation in Sudan in December, succeeding Adama Dieng. During this visit to Sudan, the first in my official capacity, I have met with the authorities, civil society, and victims of human rights violations in Khartoum and in West Darfur. I have also held meetings with members of the diplomatic community and the UN country team.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the authorities in Sudan for their cooperation with my mandate, their support for my visit, and for the frank and constructive discussions we have had on human rights issues. I welcome the commitments made in my meetings with them to address the concerns I raised.
Four years ago, when Sudanese women, men and youth took to the streets demanding respect for their rights, full of hope for a safer and more just future, the world was watching in support. Sudan today stands at a critical crossroads. A new phase of the transition is urgently needed to continue the process towards democracy that was interrupted by the October 2021 military takeover and meet the population’s demands for freedom, peace, and justice.
I welcome the important human rights commitments in the Framework Agreement that was signed between civilian political forces and the military in December last year and hope that roadmaps will be soon established to address all five outstanding issues, with broad participation of concerned parties in an inclusive dialogue, so that a final agreement can be signed and a civilian government appointed. Resumption of legal and institutional reform, with the participation of civil society, must be a priority for a new government. Human rights and accountability must be central to the next government’s program.
That Sudan faces huge challenges was brought into clearer focus to me in my various meetings. In El Geneina, I met people who had been repeatedly displaced as a result of armed attacks against their communities, for which, to my understanding, no one has been held accountable. Some have been displaced for nearly 20 years but still hold hope that they will one day be able to return safely to their homes and lands. For that, they need security, and a political commitment to resolve the underlying causes of conflict. Implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement and the National Action Plan for the Protection of Civilians can help to resolve some of these issues. Failure to take action to protect the population will lead to further conflict and an increase in the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance.
The message of the victims and civil society representatives I have met is clear and I fully endorse it: all those responsible for human rights violations and abuses committed during Sudan’s conflicts must be held to account, in accordance with due process and without unjustified delays. This is the message I delivered to the authorities. Accountability and transitional justice require a process and credible mechanisms that address past crimes, their root causes, and prevent recurrence.
From my meetings with a large number of civil society representatives, including women and young people, I got a clear sense of a lack of confidence in the way things are going - an uncertainty about the future. Many reported increased restrictions on their activities, including increased bureaucracy, denial of NGO registration and undue scrutiny of their funding. They felt that the space that had opened for civil society during the transition is being closed again. A robust and diverse civil society is fundamental to democracy, and serious steps towards building trust between the population and state institutions is key for the success of any political process. Without political stability, the environment will not be conducive to improvement of the human rights situation.
In my meetings with the authorities, I raised several interlinked issues and made to them the following recommendations:
To urgently address issues of accountability of security forces to the population within a framework of democratic civilian oversight, rule of law and respect for human rights. This should include a clear roadmap for security sector reform. As has been documented by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, human rights violations since the military takeover have included excessive use of force against protestors, arbitrary arrest and detentions of political opponents and civil society activists, torture and ill-treatment, attacks against hospitals and medical personnel, sexual violence and restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression. The committees established to investigate the human rights violations committed since the military takeover have not yet submitted their findings. The immunity from prosecution of members of the security forces implicated in human rights violations must be lifted. Victims and their families are waiting for justice, and Sudan’s future depends on the way the authorities address cases of accountability in Khartoum, Darfur, and in every region in the country.
Establishing the Transitional Justice Commission, as per the law adopted in 2021, must be a priority in the coming period. I urge the Sudanese authorities to uphold their commitment to set up a comprehensive victim-centred and gender-sensitive transitional justice process that will address all human rights violations and abuses, provide justice to the victims and prevent their recurrence,
Restrict the use of emergency legislation, in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Sudan has ratified. Emergency decrees have been used to detain people for long periods without respect for their due process rights, including the right to fair trial and representation. In West Darfur, I raised my concerns with the Wali and Security Committee about the impact of the decision to imprison hundreds of people without trial, many in other states. I welcome the release of most of them prior to my visit.
Guarantee the rights and protection of women. Women have been at the forefront of the peaceful protests and have since the coup been victims of violence, intimidation and harassment and seen a roll-back of the gains won under the transitional government. I urge the authorities to publicly commit to and implement a zero-tolerance policy on sexual violence and take measures to stop all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls.
The authorities should guarantee the progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights. I am deeply concerned by the retrogression of the enjoyment of these rights, including basic services, due to the deterioration in the economy, increased cost of living and pressure on the population as a result of increased taxes and fees, without increase in their income.
We are at a critical moment in Sudan’s history. For Sudan’s democratic transition to succeed, there must be solidarity among all sectors of this culturally rich and diverse society. The time has come for Sudanese leaders from all parties, military and civilian, whatever their political positions, to set aside their personal interests and work for the common good of the Sudanese people.
I would like to thank all those national and international actors working to help Sudan along the path of democracy, development and prosperity.
END
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Press Release
30 January 2023
Statement of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) on the killing of an aid worker in Blue Nile region
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the killing of a peacebuilding adviser who has been working for the United Nations. I express my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” said Volker Perthes.
On 27 January 2023, a contractor for Addition Organization for Disaster and Development (ADD), a local NGO and UN partner, was killed and an ADD staff member was injured after their vehicle came under fire at a checkpoint.
At the time of the killing, they were on their way to carry out peacebuilding activities in Giessan as part of a UN project to support post-conflict recovery, conflict resolution and conflict prevention in Blue Nile State. “I am profoundly distressed by the loss of life of a peacebuilding adviser, who, together with the UN, was committed to building bridges between communities. Aid workers must be respected and protected,” added Mr. Perthes.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) calls on the Sudanese authorities to take swift action to identify the perpetrators of this attack and bring them to justice. He reaffirms that such acts will not diminish the resolve of the United Nations to continue supporting the people and the Government of Sudan in their quest for peace and stability.
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Latest Resources
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Resources
16 June 2022
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