A United Kingdom government minister has suggested it was a major mistake to abandon a peace-building program in Sudan ahead of the outbreak of the civil war that has devastated the country.
The £2.6 million ($3.2 million) Sudan Transitional program worked with civil society groups to achieve a “better understanding of emerging conflicts” — but was scrapped a year early, in March 2021, as part of wider aid cuts.
Last year, Devex revealed how an internal analysis later admitted the U.K. had not grasped the risk of civil war when the decision was taken, despite being the penholder for Sudan at the United Nations. The 10-month conflict continues to spread, having so far killed thousands of civilians and displaced around 8 million people.
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About the author
Rob Merrick
Rob Merrick is the U.K. Correspondent for Devex, covering FCDO and British aid. He reported on all the key events in British politics of the past 25 years from Westminster, including the financial crash, the Brexit fallout, the "Partygate" scandal, and the departures of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Rob has worked for The Independent and the Press Association and is a regular commentator on TV and radio. He can be reached at rob.merrick@devex.com.
