U.S. Money Won’t Be Enough To Eliminate Sudan’s Problems
The United States and Sudan have had diplomatic relations since 1956, following Sudan’s independence from the joint military forces of Egypt and the United Kingdom.
Over the last 66 years, since their first diplomatic relations were established, many changes have been made in regards to the United States’ relations with Sudan. However, the U.S. remains the largest source of aid to the Sudanese.
It is reported that about 5.4 million citizens of Northern and Central Sudan and around 8.9 million citizens of South Sudan are expected to face severe food insecurity by the peak of the “lean season,” which is from May to July. This, in total, accounts for 14.3 million people, or a third of the population of roughly 44 million Sudanese citizens. Being that the United States is the largest active donor to date for the country, it is only right that our nation assumes more responsibility in protecting our “investment” at all costs.
In addition to the Sudanese being at risk of starvation, they are also faced with the challenge of having no leader to run the country since the resignation of their prime minister following the military coup on Oct. 25. After the military coup proved successful, the U.S. paused government aid in an attempt to drive out the rebel military forces, which is also the last action taken by the U.S. government. Although the U.S. is the primary source of aid for the struggling nation, it seems as if the U.S. has made minimal effort to ensure the safety of the country as of late. During the coup, no military assistance was offered; even after its success, the U.S. stood by while protestors and citizens were, and continue to be, killed by corrupt military forces.
An article published by the United Nations in March of 2022 vaguely described what the U.S. is going to do moving forward to assist Sudan. The headline of the article reads, “The UN and Partners on Thursday Launched a $1.7 Billion Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for South Sudan, to Meet the Needs of Some 6.8 Million Vulnerable People This Year.”
Once again, the response by the United States government has been to throw more money at the problem in a lazy effort to stop the downward spiral of Sudan. The U.S. government continues to send money that ends up never being seen again or falling into the wrong hands. Although the aid that is being sent will provide relief for a fraction of the many in need, there is still more that the government could do to ensure its security so that the citizens of Sudan can prosper without assistance.
The United States’ attempts to aid Sudan in an effort to democratize their government for a longer period of time have had very little success up to this point. Sudan is only one of many African nations where military coups are taking place. Five African countries in the last year have experienced or are currently experiencing a military coup. Thus, the overall attitudes of African citizens towards their respective governments are not particularly positive, and the situation in Sudan is a prime example. In an article published by the New York Times, Abdul Zanya Salifu, a scholar at the University of Calgary, addressed the issue of how citizens of Africa view each of their country’s governments. He states, “People are fed up with their governments for many reasons, major security threats, relentless humanitarian disasters and millions of young people having no prospects.”
Instead of funneling more money into temporary relief efforts, the U.S. should encourage its teachers, mentors, community leaders, and military officials to relocate to Sudan. The presence of such influences could help potentially eliminate rebel forces and inform the next generation on how to govern fairly. If such efforts are successful, Sudan could become a prosperous country, in which its people no longer have to endure a life of mere survival.
