Fact Sheets: United States Policy on Sudan
http://www.state.gov
United States Policy on Sudan
Overall Policy
Sudan is one of the Bush administration’s highest foreign policy
priorities. The
United States is committed to ending the violence in Darfur through an
inclusive
political settlement, providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable
populations, enabling the rapid deployment of the United Nations – African
Union
hybrid mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and promoting democracy in Sudan.
President
Bush named Richard S. Williamson as Special Envoy to Sudan on December 21,
2007.
The United States is pushing for full implementation of the Comprehensive
Peace
Agreement (CPA), which was signed in January 2005 and ended 21 years of
civil
war between the North and the South. The United States also supports the
implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), signed between the
Government of Sudan and some Darfur movements in May 2006. Together, the
CPA and
the DPA provide a framework for development of a peaceful, unified, and
democratic Sudan. Democratic elections, to be held at the national,
regional,
and state levels in 2009, are a key component of the CPA that the United
States
strongly supports.
The U.S. has imposed economic sanctions on a total of seven individuals
and more
than 160 companies owned or controlled by the Government of Sudan or
linked to
militia. Among other things, the sanctions are intended to increase
pressure on
all parties to end the violence in Darfur.
Political Process in Darfur
The United States supports the joint effort by the United Nations and the
African Union to renew negotiations between the Government of Sudan and
Darfur
rebel movements to reach an inclusive peace agreement. The 2006 DPA
provides one
structure for a political solution that can allow Darfuris to reconstruct
their
lives, including through compensation for the victims of the conflict,
political
representation at the federal level in Khartoum, disarmament and
demobilization
of the militias, and the creation of the Transitional Darfur Regional
Authority
to oversee the implementation of this agreement.
Assistance
The United States is the largest single donor to Sudan, including Darfur,
where
more than 2.5 million people live in camps for Internally Displaced
Persons
(IDPs). The United States has provided over $4 billion in humanitarian,
peacekeeping and development assistance to the people of Sudan and Eastern
Chad
since 2005. In FY 2007, the United States gave more than $1 billion in
assistance to the people of Sudan. President Bush has requested a similar
level
of funding in FY 2008. Additionally, the United States has provided more
than 80
percent of the World Food Program’s food aid in Sudan to date, serving up
to 6.6
million people through Sudan and eastern Chad. In Darfur, the United
States
provides life-saving assistance to people affected by conflict, and in
Southern
Sudan and the Three Areas, integrated programs support Sudan’s transition
to
peace and stability. Nearly 40 U.S. partners implement programs
countrywide in
civil society, media, democratic governance, infrastructure, education,
health,
nutrition, food security, agriculture, shelter, protection, relief
supplies,
income generation, and water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
Peacekeeping
The United States supports the rapid deployment of 26,000 peacekeepers to
Darfur
under UNAMID as authorized by United Nations Security Council Resolution
1769 on
July 31, 2007. UNAMID subsumed elements of the smaller African Union
Mission in
Sudan (AMIS), which had been in Darfur since 2004. During that time, the
United
States through NATO airlifted 11,400 peacekeepers to and from Darfur,
trained
and equipped these troops, and maintained a staff presence at AMIS. Over
the
past three years, the United States spent over $450 million to build,
operate
and maintain 34 AMIS base camps and also provide troops with vehicles and
communication equipment. The United States contributes approximately 25%
of
UNAMID’s budget. In addition, in February 2008, President Bush announced
that
the U.S. government would provide at least $100 million to train and equip
African battalions headed for Darfur.
-- Otis Willie (Ret.)
Military News and Information Editor (http://www.13105320634.com)
The American War Library, Est. 1988 (http://www.amervets.com)
16907 Brighton Avenue
Gardena CA 90247
1-310-532-0634
Military Webmaster Site Link Request Form:
http://www.amervets.com/linkreq.htm
Military and Vet Info-Exchange/Discussion Groups
http://members.aol.com/amerwar/share.htm
|
