4 Ways USAID is Supporting Sudan’s Transition to Democracy

As the nation reaches at a pivotal point in its history, USAID stands by to help it build a more stable future

Administrator Samantha Power receives an enthusiastic greeting from children during her visit to the Zam Zam IDP camp in Northern Darfur. / USAID

Sudan’s history has been marked by immense tragedy — from civil war to famine to genocide in the country’s Darfur region. While this will always be part of the country’s past, USAID is helping the Sudanese people so these struggles are not a part of their future.

For 30 years, the Sudanese people lived under the dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir. His regime operated by weaponizing Sudan’s rich diversity and instilling fear through mass atrocities, torture, forced detentions, and genocide. A popular revolution led by Sudanese youth and women led to Bashir’s removal from power in 2019 and the establishment of a civilian-led transitional government.

The country is now in a hopeful, yet fragile civilian-led transition to democracy.

Administrator Samantha Power visited Sudan from July 31 to Aug. 3, during a trip in East Africa that also included a stop in Ethiopia. Sudan is the first African country the Administrator has visited since she was sworn in in May. USAID is supporting Sudan on its path to freedom and prosperity, and is taking several steps to help. Here are four ways USAID is supporting Sudan.

1. Supporting Families

The Administrator joins a soccer game at Abu Shok Youth and Community Center in El Fasher, North Darfur. / USAID

Efforts to jumpstart the Sudanese economy after its longtime autocratic rule are taking a toll on Sudanese families, with triple digit inflation making it hard for them to get by.

In order to help the Sudanese people while their economy recovers, USAID has provided support to the Sudan Family Support Program (SFSP), a social safety net program. While in Sudan, Administrator Power toured an SFSP enrollment center to better understand this important work.

The role the SFSP is playing in Sudan is significant: it has enrolled 1.35 million families and provided 400,000 with cash support. This is only the beginning — the World Bank has set a goal of enrolling 3 million families and providing them all with financial support by the end of the calendar year. To support this goal, USAID has invested $20 million thus far and plans to provide more support in the coming months.

2. Investing in Sudan’s Future

Administrator Power at a meeting with Darfur Governor Minni Minawi and other civilian leaders to discuss how USAID can support Sudan’s civilian-led transition. / USAID

USAID wants to provide financial relief to those desperately in need, but also support Sudan’s economy to create jobs and spur economic growth. To support Sudan’s economic development, the U.S. Congress allocated a $700 million economic support fund that USAID and the Department of State will help administer.

Additionally, if Sudan is going to keep taking steps toward democracy, it needs to ensure free and fair elections. While in Khartoum, Administrator Power announced USAID would donate an additional $4.3 million to support the country’s election process, making a total of $12 million committed to this effort to date.

The Sudanese people have shown that they want accountable leaders, and USAID is proud to help them by fostering this pillar of democracy.

Finally, as new variants emerge and the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, Sudan received its first delivery of 606,700 Johnson & Johnson vaccines from the United States on Aug. 6. Administrator Power also announced that USAID would provide $445 million for COVID-19 response and recovery throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with over $45 million for Sudan.

3. Humanitarian Assistance in Sudan

Young girls sit in a group at the Zam Zam IDP camp in Northern Darfur. / USAID

While USAID is working hard to invest in Sudan’s future, it is also working to support those who are in dire need today. With approximately 13.4 million people in Sudan in need, Administrator Power announced an additional $56 million to provide humanitarian assistance to the country.

This funding will provide emergency health care, medical supplies, training for health care workers, water, sanitation, and hygiene support to vulnerable communities across the country. It will also assist survivors of gender-based violence by training personnel, offering trauma counseling and mental health support, and improving case management.

4. Encouraging and Empowering Youth

Administrator Power (with her back to camera) meets with young activists in front of a revolution mural in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. / USAID

Young people make up the majority of the population in Sudan, and it is young people who led the revolution that ousted Bashir.

During her trip, Administrator Power met with student activists at a mural celebrating the revolution to discuss their experience protesting the dictatorship, listen to their concerns, and encourage their activism. The protestors spoke of their determination to chart a new course for Sudan, and their continued fight to seek justice for crimes committed during the revolution.

During her speech at the University of Khartoum, Administrator Power praised the role of youth in the revolution and urged them to consider careers in public service — to leverage their energy and commitment to Sudan’s future inside the transitional government.

Though the future is still unclear, the brave efforts of these young people have allowed the Sudanese to imagine a new path for their country — and USAID is working hard to support them.

About the Author

Katie Garner is an Intern for USAID’s Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs. She is also a Senior at the University of Delaware studying International Relations, Journalism, and French.