Sudan (view map)

Stretching over 2.5 million square kilometres, Sudan is the largest country in Africa with a population of around 35 million people. The country has deserts, mountain ranges, swamps and rain forests, with substantial oil reserves providing great potential wealth. Sudan is however one of the most troubled countries on the continent with the continuing conflict in  Darfur affecting the lives of millions.

In 2005 Sudan emerged from a 21-year civil war between the largely Muslim north and the mainly Christian and Animist peoples of the south. The conflict claimed the lives of 1.5 million people. In January 2005, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed between the Sudanese government in Khartoum and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) in the newly created autonomous region, Southern Sudan. A referendum on the full independence of  Southern Sudan will be held in 2011.

The government of Southern Sudan faces huge challenges in bringing stability and progress to a region totally destroyed by the civil war. Poverty is endemic and the near complete destruction of almost every fragment of infrastructure has led to concerns over food security and income generation. For decades millions of Sudanese born into conflict have missed out on an education and even today, levels of primary school enrolment remain at less than 10% in over half of the states of Southern Sudan. With a lack of both education and infrastructure, the recovery of Southern Sudan looks as if it will be a long and difficult process.

The ongoing conflict in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, in which pro-government Arab militias have been in conflict with non-Arab groups in the region, is believed to have left 200,000 dead and over two million homeless, many now living in makeshift camps for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in both Darfur and across the border in neighbouring Chad. The situation in Darfur has been universally highlighted as one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. A peace agreement between the fighting factions has been signed but its implementation hampered by factional disagreements.

SCIAF works with the Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO) in Darfur to provide emergency aid and long term support to the millions of people affected by the conflict. In south and western Darfur, over 20,000 families will receive seeds, tools, and training to grow crops or tree seedlings leading to over 120,000 people being fed. As well as seed banks for the future, and training, trees are being planted to reduce the environmental damage caused by the huge influx of people to the IDP camps. In Chad, almost 50,000 refugees and local people will benefit from better water supplies, food, and education. Small loans are being provided and training given to help local people and refugees create small businesses to provide them with a little income.

In Juba, Southern Sudan SCIAF has opened its first overseas office to enable it to work more effectively in the rebuilding process. Hand in hand with its local partners SCIAF is working to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, as well as engage in capacity building and rural livelihood initiatives. SCIAF is working closely with marginalised groups including women and people with disabilities to ensure that all sectors of society are involved in the reconstruction and development process.

Last Updated: January 2008