DfID-Sudan Partnership

After 20 years of war and 2 million lives lost, Sudan’s southern region declared independence from Khartoum in July 2011. Currently in a period of transition, Sudan faces varying levels of political, economic and military insecurities aggravated by border conflict with the south. Weak and unaccountable political institutions, a heavily centralized and oil-dependent economy, and high levels of military expenditure and corruption are threatening stability and challenging development. In addition, Sudan continues to experience prolonged humanitarian emergencies and high, uneven levels of poverty. Almost half of the Sudanese population, especially in Darfur and the east, lives below the poverty line. And as rates of urbanization soar, further pressure is mounted on providing basic services to the largely young and unskilled population. The United Kingdom is dedicated to addressing the underlying causes and the impact of conflict and bringing stability through humanitarian assistance and government interventions. Funding levels For fiscal years 2011-12 to 2014-15, the U.K. Department for International Development has allocated £187.8 million ($285 million) in aid to Sudan — about £47 million per year. The United Kingdom is the second-largest bilateral donor in Sudan, just after the United States. Click on the image to view a larger version of the table. The United Kingdom evaluates recipient countries’ governments for their ability to meet three partnership commitments — poverty reduction, human rights and international obligations, and strengthen financial management and accountability — before providing direct budget support. The Sudanese government is currently unable to meet these commitments, and is not likely to do so in the foreseeable future. At present, the United Kingdom courses financial support through the following entities: - International organizations: 77 percent — provide humanitarian assistance and basic services like access to water, health and education; promote good governance and rule of law; and help build local capacities to do the same. - International nongovernmental organizations: 9 percent — provide humanitarian assistance and help communities recover from conflict by providing access to health, water and education; improving livelihoods at the local level; and working directly with Sudanese communities and local organizations. - Commercial service providers: 14 percent — provide dedicated specialist expertise, both local and international, that would otherwise be unavailable to either the Sudanese government or DfID. Funding priorities The United Kingdom’s development work in Sudan is closely aligned with the African government’s priorities: reduce the levels of violence, build a stable economy and allocate resources more equitably to states. DfID has been supporting Sudan through four principal ways: - Gradual transition from humanitarian programs to longer-term development support for sustainable livelihoods in conflict-affected areas. - Peace building between Sudan and South Sudan, in the eastern region, in Darfur, and between Sudan and its neighbors. - Increased security, peace, justice, and democratic and accountable governance; and a reduction in corruption. - More equitable and sustainable development. Click on the image to view a larger version of the table. U.K. support will move away from privileged groups toward marginalized peripheral states, reducing military expenditure and increasing funding in social and productive sectors. The following are current operational projects — focusing on humanitarian aid, governance and security — with the largest funding allocations: - The SHARP — Sudan Humanitarian Assistance and Resilience Program (£67 million) and the Common Humanitarian Fund in Sudan 2012 (£26.8 million) aims to ensure the provision of humanitarian and relief assistance in the country. - The Contribution to Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) in Sudan (£54 million) project seeks to ensure coordinated, flexible and swift donor responses for financing priority expenditures while the Safety and Access to Justice Program in Sudan (£19.6 million) project aims to build the capacity in key police and justice sector institutions. Devex analysis Sudan has been dominated by severe humanitarian crises and chronic underdevelopment for the past 50 years. This has resulted into an expensive and high-risk environment for development programming. While DfID will continue to provide urgent and lifesaving assistance, the agency also plans to increase support for sustainable livelihoods projects in the water and sanitation, education and health sectors. DfID will work with state-level institutions to build their capacity and systems to manage and administer services toward a smooth political transition. Service providers will also be utilized to work alongside civil society to ensure participation in decision-making. The United Kingdom will also strengthen collaboration with other donors, such as the European Union, through joint programming and shared advisory and technical resources. Recently, DfID has signed a bilateral agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development and is expected to engage more with nontraditional donors such as China, the Gulf states and Turkey. The United Kingdom remains committed to establishing inclusive peace and stability in Sudan. The country is one of DfID’s 27 priority countries and is expected to receive funding well beyond 2015. Contact DfID Sudan Email: enquiry@dfid.gov.uk Fax: (249-15) 677-5656 Find DfID projects and tenders in Sudan. Join the Devex community and gain access to more in-depth analysis, breaking news and business advice — and a host of other services — on international development, humanitarian aid and global health.