Canadian International Development Agency
www.cida.gc.ca
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Sudan
Overview
Sudan is geographically the largest country in Africa. It has abundant mineral and oil resources as well as productive land that grows cotton, sesame, and wheat and provides grazing for livestock. However, the country has experienced years of unrest, civil wars, and natural disasters. This situation has left an estimated five million internally displaced persons in need of assistance. Much of Sudan's infrastructure is disintegrating. On the United Nations Development Programme's 2009 human development index ranks 150 out of 182 countries.
Civil war has racked Sudan since its independence in 1956. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 ended the north-south conflict, but the situation is fragile and must be reinforced to avoid a relapse. Separate conflicts in eastern Sudan and in the Darfur region in western Sudan have also occurred. The Darfur conflict is still unresolved, leaving 2.7 million persons displaced. Sudan's challenges are becoming increasingly regional in scope and are fuelling instability in eastern Chad. Sudan now faces large refugee influxes from neighbouring countries, including Chad.
The impact of these conflicts is staggering in a country that already faces chronic food and water shortages and drought in both the east and west. Life expectancy only averages 57 years, and literacy rates are just 61 percent for adults over the age of 15. Sudan now faces a critical time in its history, with an election in 2010 and a referendum on Southern independence in 2011, representing key milestones of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
Thematic Focus
In 2009, as part of Canada's new aid effectiveness agenda, Sudan was selected by CIDA as one of 20 countries of focus. Canada's engagement in Sudan follows key foreign policy priorities of freedom, democracy, human rights, and rule of law. It also responds to Canadian public and international interest in having the Canadian government play a diplomatic role, provide development assistance, and contribute to peace and stability in that country.
Canada's whole-of-government approach in Sudan comprises:
- Humanitarian assistance
- Early recovery programming
- Peacekeeping and peacebuilding
- Diplomatic efforts to prepare the ground for sustainable development
Canada's approach is to coordinate its actions through a task force on Sudan, of which CIDA is a member, along with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, the Department of National Defence, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Together they are making a contribution toward helping the people of Sudan to:
- Address humanitarian challenges
- Reduce security threats
- Enhance stability
- Support efforts for longer-term sustained economic growth
CIDA's current objective is to support efforts to implement the peace agreements in order to create the conditions for long-term peace, stability, and prosperity.
CIDA's program for Sudan is directly aligned with the Government of Canada's whole-of-government strategy of security, diplomacy, and aid, as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's guidelines for fragile states0 and the Sudan Government of National Unity's and the Government of South Sudan's five-year plans.
Children and youth
CIDA will provide increased access to at-risk older children and youth to integrated basic services such as education and health services where needs are greatest, and will do so in a conflict-sensitive manner.
- Some 5,000 children will have first-time access to formal and non-formal basic education
- Infrastructure and equipment will be improved in 75 schools
- A total of 2,130 teachers will be trained in child-centred teaching approaches, HIV/AIDS prevention education, and girls' education
- Some 10,000 returnees will have improved access to basic health care
- Some 4,000 children and women of child-bearing age will be vaccinated
Food security
CIDA will provide vulnerable households with a way to generate income by providing employment skills that will lead to improved food production and increased market access for agricultural products and livestock.
- Some 250,000 individuals will benefit from better access to livelihoods and markets
- A total of 1,440 farmers will benefit from farmer field schools
- Tools and seeds will be delivered to 15,000 households
- The capacity of at least 1,600 members of fisheries cooperatives will be built in terms of sustainable production and marketing for local and regional markets
Progress on Aid Effectiveness
The principles of aid effectiveness, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's and CIDA's guidelines for fragile states respectively, and the Millennium Development Goals direct CIDA's Sudan program.
Canada co-ordinates with other donors through a number of mechanisms, including a joint donor office established in South Sudan mandated to improve aid effectiveness. The only one of its kind, the office is shared by Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. CIDA responds to humanitarian assistance appeals, such as the US$2.29 billion United Nations and Partners: 2009 Work Plan for Sudan.
To promote aid effectiveness, CIDA's Sudan program will maintain its dual approach of working through pooled funds on large-scale projects and directly with non-governmental organizations on focused projects.
PDF Format
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (8.58 KB, 260 pages)
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