“The October 25, 2021 military coup pushed Sudan into a political crisis with profound implications for the country’s prospects for peaceful construction and development.
It also poses a difficult question to donors: how do we maintain our commitment to support the most vulnerable Sudan without legitimizing an unconstitutional change?
While political crises are clearly a challenge for international donors, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peace Building Fund (PBF) is working to respond to such crises. in a targeted and strategic way to ensure that vital support continues to reach those who need it most.
PBF Secretariat in Sudan
Meet project beneficiaries, Community Based Settlement Mechanism and Peace Building Committee in Al Fado, Assalaya Locality, East Darfur, Sudan…
Extensive peace-building projects
Amid political tension, inter-communal conflict, large-scale displacement, economic crisis, deepening inequality, rising unemployment, devastating floods and protests demanding democratic reform , the PBF is still active in Sudan.
PBF has the advantage of being an agile, adaptive and needs-driven fund, allowing it to provide much-needed funding even in high-risk environments like Sudan. Since the coup, PBF’s portfolio of projects and active portfolios has grown to cover 12 states, proving that when a crisis hits, its commitment doesn’t falter – it’s more consolidate.
Along with other projects – including a flagship program to strengthen the rule of law and support local peacebuilding across the five Darfur states – PBF has added six new projects to its portfolio in 2021. , with 4 more projects in progress.
These pipeline projects include a new initiative in the disputed territory of Abyei and a $10 million investment in East Sudan, both of which take a region-based approach to stabilizing communities affected by conflict and strengthen their resilience to future crises.
Based on an assessment of conflict hotspots and key conflict dynamics for each region, the projects leverage the expertise of four UN agencies – UNICEF, UNDP, IOM and FAO to help restore access to basic services, including water and sanitation, implement livelihoods and job creation programs, and strengthen conflict resolution at the community and institutional levels. natural resource management agency.
PBF Secretariat in Sudan
Presentation of migration routes and conflict hotspots mapped by FAO in Yassin village, East Darfur, Sudan.
Empowering local communities
So how do we navigate the complex political landscape to ensure support reaches those who need it most?
Part of the answer lies in PBF’s community-based approach, which empowers local communities, promotes inclusive participation, and strengthens local governance and community structures. other. In addition, this approach improves the relationship between different actors; promote local ownership; directing funding to community-based organizations by expanding partnerships with CSOs; and see women and young people as agents of peaceful change and integral development.
With Sudan’s peace-building trajectory still fragile and uncertain, support from the international community – at the right time and in a targeted manner – is crucial. So the question is not whether development and peacebuilding partners should continue to participate, but how to maintain participation. Through its investments, PBF is empowering local stakeholders to respond to the rapidly evolving situation on the field in Sudan and ensure consistent and reliable support for those affected. need it most”.
