Sudan

A South Sudanese woman who fled to Khartoum during the north–south civil war prepares to return to her homeland with her family.

Christy Forster/USAID

Sudan continues to cope with the effects of conflict, economic shocks, and perennial environmental hazards, such as drought and flooding.  Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states continues to affect civilians and cause displacement, including to neighboring Ethiopia and South Sudan.  In Darfur, an estimated 1.7 million people remained in internally displaced person (IDP) camps as of July 2012, according to the U.N.  Criminality and clashes over resources—mainly land and water—remain commonplace throughout Darfur.  On October 17, 2011, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Mary C. Yates renewed the Sudan complex emergency disaster declaration for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012.  The U.S. Mission in Sudan has declared disasters in response to the complex emergency on an annual basis since 1987.  As of August 17, the U.S. Government (USG) had provided more than $295.9 million in humanitarian assistance to Sudan in FY 2012.

HUMANITARIAN FUNDING To Sudan IN FY 2013*

*These figures are current as of March 29, 2013.

Key Developments

On March 4, the Government of Sudan finalized and released a directive setting out new regulations and procedures governing humanitarian agencies operating in Sudan. The directive codifies and clarifies many existing regulations, while introducing some new procedures.

Violence stemming from disputes over gold mining and land tenure has displaced more than 100,000 people in the Jebel Amir region of North Darfur since January 2012, according to the U.N. Humanitarian agencies are responding to needs among the displaced.

To date in FY 2013, the USG has provided nearly $25 million to address the needs of vulnerable populations across Sudan, including IDPs, refugees, and host communities. USAID/OFDA-supported activities strengthen emergency response capabilities, increase access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, provide health and nutrition services, and reduce the economic impact of violence and displacement on affected communities. State/PRM has contributed $5.8 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees for countrywide operations.