Sudan
Earth Week Series: USAID-Funded Boma National Park Headquarters Inaugurated in South Sudan
At the USAID-funded Boma National Park Headquarters during its opening on March 8, Dr. Paul Elkan, South Sudan Country Director for USAID partner Wildlife Conservation Society, explains the types of wildlife found in Boma and other national parks in South Sudan. At center (white shirt) is USAID South Sudan Mission Director Kevin Mullally. Photo Credit: Angela Stephens/USAID
Officials from the Republic of South Sudan and United States Government on March 8 inaugurated the Boma National Park Headquarters and Boma Payam Headquarters in Jonglei State, drawing attention to the important role that the establishment of protected area management and local governance infrastructure and capacity can play in contributing to security, stability, eco-tourism development and economic growth, especially in the more isolated regions of South Sudan. This critical infrastructure was built with funding from the U.S. Government through USAID under the auspices of its partnership with the Republic of South Sudan.
Boma National Park covers 20,000 square kilometers of woodland savanna and grassland in Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria states. The park protects one of the largest intact savanna ecosystems in East Africa, hosting significant wildlife populations, including elephants, giraffe, buffalo, numerous antelopes (including white-eared kob, common eland, lesser kudu, Bohor reedbuck, gazelles, tiang, Lelwel hartebeest, Beisa oryx, and roan), and an impressive diversity of migratory birds. Boma was established as a national park in 1986, when South Sudan was part of Sudan.
Wildlife in Boma National Park includes several varieties of antelope, such as white-eared kob. Photo Credit: Michelle Barrett/USAID
Protected area management has a critical role to play in strengthening and supporting local government and improving security in addition to protecting biodiversity and providing a sustainable foundation for economic growth. USAID and the Wildlife Conservation Society are supporting the South Sudan Wildlife Forces to undertake law enforcement and monitoring activities and to develop security partnerships with other armed forces and local communities.
U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Susan D. Page, who represented the U.S. Government at the event, said, “It is so important that we continue to work together to preserve this area and its wildlife, which are threatened by hasty and unplanned development, or by wildlife poachers, who would ruin a world treasure for their own short-term benefit.”
USAID In the News
Weekly Briefing (3/12/2012 – 3/16/2012)
March 14: A recent study highlighted in Federal Computer Week magazine showed that USAID was one of three federal agencies currently in full compliance with the White House transparency recommendations issued in March 2011. Under the Administration’s Open Government Directive released in December 2009, agencies developed open government plans in April 2010. Many of the agencies updated those plans in mid-2010 and again in 2011 and are now preparing for a third round of updates.
March 14: The White House Blog published An Alliance for Global Development written by USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah and DFID Secretary of State Andrew Mitchell. The blog discussed the official state visit of British Prime Minister David Cameron and the unique partnership the two countries share on global development.
March 14: Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Assistant Administrator Nancy Lindborg joined Academy Award-winning actor George Clooney to discuss the on-going humanitarian crisis in Sudan and South Sudan. The Associated Press, Voice of America, and The Washington Post covered the hearing, among other major outlets.
March 15: The Oregonian (Portland, OR) reports that 20 international students from Latin America will soon be heading home after receiving two years of academic and technical studies at a local college. The students were selected to participate in the Scholarships for Education and Economic Development (SEED) program, an initiative funded by USAID. SEED scholarships provide training to youth and community leaders from economically disadvantaged and historically underserved populations, including women and ethnic/Indigenous groups, to become key leaders in their countries’ development.
Discussing the Crisis in Sudan and South Sudan with the Senate and George Clooney
Yesterday I had the opportunity to testify on the rising humanitarian crises in Sudan and South Sudan before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It’s been just eight months since we celebrated the peaceful separation of South Sudan from Sudan, marking a turning point for a people who have endured war for the greater part of half a century. Yet, there are increasing challenges facing these two nations that have resulted in violence and conflict, making the prospect of a peaceful path forward for these two new nations incredibly fragile.
The crushing poverty, underdevelopment, and intercommunal fighting in South Sudan, as well as the continued conflict in Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile, Abyei, and Jonglei, have left the people in these regions with uncertain futures and requiring a wide range of assistance to meet their needs. I was honored to speak alongside Special Envoy to Sudan, Ambassador Princeton Lyman, who also emphasized that the United States’ goal is to prevent this humanitarian situation from worsening any further. But this rising crisis needs public attention. I’m thankful to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for their continued thoughtful attention to this issue and for inviting actor George Clooney and activist John Prendergast, who had just returned from the region, to also testify. Their presence and personal reflection undoubtedly heightened public interest in this hearing, which will hopefully result in increased support for the people of Sudan and South Sudan.
I encourage you to read my testimony and send me your thoughts in the comments below or via Twitter @NancyLindborg.
USAID in the News
Weekly Briefing (12/12/2011 – 12/16/2011)
December 9: Last Friday, the Global Post highlighted USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah’s visit to Harvard University. On December 12th, The Guardian’s Global Health Blog also published a post about his trip to Cambridge. Speaking at a dinner, hosted by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism, Dr. Shah recalled his visit to refugee camps in Kenya and the struggle families are currently facing in the Horn of Africa. Shah also encouraged journalists to actively cover the crisis and famine.
December 14: The Guardian reports that during the International Engagement conference for South Sudan, USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah stated that theconference is an opportunity for the government of South Sudan to lay out its vision for the future of its economy. Shah also stated that the event will “help private companies and investors see the Republic of Southern Sudan as a place where they want to increase their investments, thereby enabling significant economic development and economic growth”. Bloomberg News also reported on the conference, citing Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s strong support for the new nation and the promising economic opportunities in farming and oil sectors. Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Times also covered the conference.
December 15: ABC News’ “Million Moms Challenge” blog highlighted an innovative approach USAID is using to help pregnant women and new mothers in Bangladesh. By utilizing a new cell phone program, women are receiving text or calls with potentially life-saving alerts regarding their upcoming due date. After they give birth, themothers continue to receive messages with information regarding healthy nutrition and how to care for their newborn. The USAID initiative is called Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action (MAMA).
USAID Supports South Sudan’s First Agricultural Trade Fair
Angela Stephens is a Development Outreach and Communications Officer in the Africa Bureau.
In South Sudan, farmers, researchers, and the private sector are coming together with the help of USAID to showcase the new nation’s agricultural potential.
Schoolchildren examine displays at the First Agricultural Trade Fair in South Sudan, which was supported by USAID. Photo Credit: Angela Stephens/USAID
On November 9 to 12, USAID supported the first agricultural trade fair in Juba, South Sudan. National and international entrepreneurs came to learn about opportunities in agriculture, fisheries, livestock, and forestry. Farmers from 10 different states showcased their products, including items such as cassava, bamboo, flowers, beeswax, gum arabic, fruit, vegetables, and dried fish. Among displays of tractors and farm equipment, students learned about the agricultural industry and experts demonstrated planting and irrigation techniques at interactive exhibits.
“Agriculture affects every citizen of South Sudan, a nation in which more than 80 percent of the population lives in rural areas and depends on agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and forestry for their livelihood,” said USAID Deputy Mission Director Peter Natiello at the opening of the fair.
Republic of South Sudan Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny welcomed farmers and exhibitors who came from across South Sudan and the region to attend the fair. As an example of South Sudan’s enormous potential, Vice President Machar described how rich Western Equatoria state is in its agricultural production, including mangoes and pineapple, but farmers face challenges in bringing their goods to market. “This is where we need investors to come in who can buy products and preserve them, either process it locally, can it, or dry it, and then send it to the areas that do not produce these products,” he said. (more…)
Decentralization in Africa
On July 9, 2011, the national flag was raised for the first time in the new country of South Sudan. Even as official ceremonies were underway in the capital Juba, the country began to confront fundamental dilemmas about how to establish the basic patterns of governance. What should the system of government look like? Should it be federal, with powerful regional states? Should responsibilities be transferred to local governments, or even to community organizations? Do questions such as local capacity and national stability speak for or against decentralizing government?
A South Sudanese man cheers on July 9, 2011 when his country gained its independence. (Sara Taylor/USAID)
Since 2010, USAID has developed a set of reports that study and glean lessons from African experiences with decentralization. The reports covered 10 African countries documenting their experiences and examining in each case how decentralization affects key governance characteristics. Among the characteristics of interest are the legal authority of subnational units, their degree of autonomy from the central government, along with patterns of accountability between actors, and the overall capacity of actors in African governance. The overall success of decentralization experiences in Africa depends upon a mix of these characteristics that gives local actors greater opportunities for decision-making while also ensuring that the central government retains the power to oversee and monitor local actors. (more…)
USAID in the News
Weekly Briefing: 7/4/2011 – 7/8/2011
July 5: New York Times columnist Nick Kristof discussed American aid to Africa and said the Obama administration’s Feed the Future initiative, led by USAID, deserves credit for saving 4 million lives yearly.
July 7: CNN reports that USAID Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg will be part of the official U.S. delegation traveling to Juba on Saturday to attend the ceremonies marking the independence of South Sudan.
July 8: The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that the National Science Foundation (NSF) and USAID are partnering together to support new and existing scientific partnerships between universities and other research institutes around the world. The program will connect American researchers with their colleagues overseas to study natural disasters, water scarcity, and other problems facing developing nations.
July 8: At a special State Department briefing on South Sudan’s upcoming independence, Voice of America reports that USAID Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg stated that the U.S. will host a conference in Washington in September to promote South Sudan as an investment destination. Steinberg also noted that USAID plans to support an open, corruption-free economy in the country
July 8: The Deccan Herald reported that USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah received the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award yesterday. The award is given by the Government of India to recognize the achievements of the Indian Diaspora.
USAID-World Bank Study Explores Viability of Integrated Farming in South Darfur
USAID, the World Bank, and the South Darfur Ministry of Agriculture and Forests held a workshop in Khartoum June 26 to discuss the new report, Rehabilitation of Gum Arabic Ecosystems in South Darfur, which examines the role of farming systems that integrate gum arabic, livestock, and food grains as a viable option in South Darfur to reduce poverty, conflict over natural resources, and degradation of the environment.
Warehouse in Khartoum where women sort, clean gum arabic for export. Photo Credit: USAID/Sudan
Financed by USAID and the World Bank’s Post-Conflict Fund, the report originated from a request in 2009 by the Governor of South Darfur that the World Bank propose a plan to rehabilitate gum arabic production in South Darfur, which is the center of the Darfur region’s gum arabic industry.
Gum arabic, the dried sap of the Acacia senegal tree, is used in pharmaceutical, industrial, and food products, including soft drinks and confections. It keeps sugar uniformly suspended in carbonated drinks, binds newspaper ink to paper, and is used as a coating on medications.
Sudan is the world’s largest producer of gum arabic, providing as much as half of the world supply. The United States imports approximately 25 percent of Sudan’s gum arabic, which is exempt from trade sanctions. (more…)
USAID Appears in Congressional Hearing on Sudan
USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Africa Raja Jandhyala appeared at a congressional hearing last week along with U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Ambassador Princeton Lyman, to discuss the current crisis in Sudan and the impending independence of South Sudan on July 9.
The hearing, titled “Africa’s Newest Nation: The Republic of South Sudan,” explored the challenges South Sudan will face as it becomes an independent nation, in keeping with the outcome of the January referendum on self-determination (PDF, 873kb) for southern Sudan, a key provision of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which USAID has helped implement. Nearly 99 percent of southern Sudanese voted in January for secession. Called by the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, the hearing also explored the current crisis that has resulted from conflict that erupted in Sudan’s Abyei Area last month and in Southern Kordofan state this month, displacing some 170,000 people.
Read in her written testimony (PDF, 51kb) about how USAID is responding to the current crisis with humanitarian assistance, and how USAID is helping the Government of Southern Sudan prepare for statehood.
