Since April 15, Sudan has been caught up in a raging conflict for power between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). While the U.S. embassy was closed off and all diplomats and military personnel were evacuated, there were thousands of registered U.S. citizens still left in Sudan, some of whom do not want to leave. The U.S. received some criticism of this inaction despite technically having "no legal obligation to evacuate citizens" and having relayed constant warnings over the years concerning the political state of Sudan; still, the U.S., along with African and Arab nations, the United Nations, and other countries, called for cease-fires in order to allow for citizens and Sudanese to flee. Currently, the U.S. is hoping to extend the U.S.-brokered 72-hour ceasefire, which ends today, in order to hold out for what could be the last chance for evacuation.
However, there is a lot on the line beyond these mass evacuations, as the outcome of the violence in Sudan has international implications. The U.S. has long supported Sudan in the hopes of democracy and stability for the country, recently providing more than $288 million in humanitarian aid in Sudan earlier this year and developing their relations through counter-terrorism cooperation. Susan Stigant, running the Africa programs at the U.S. Institute of Peace, says, "Having a stable Sudan that looks to the United States as a partner, a core partner, that's incredibly strategic." But these hopes for democracy have flown out the window as the two powers, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (Sudan's de-facto ruler with support of SAF) and Gen Mohamed Hamden Dagalo, aka Hemedti (warlord followed by RSF), who previously worked together to stage the coup d'etat of former autocratic President Omar al-Bashir, broke out into a power struggle, neither of whom claims to have started it. The problem is that Sudan's location possesses a particular importance: lying between the Red Sea, the Sahel, and the Horn of Africa, there is threat of conflict and instability spilling across these borders. The United States Institute of Peace also foresees that "vested interests in Sudan may be tempted to throw their weight behind [either the SAF or the RSF]" and with Russia's interest in a potential base on the Red Sea, the situation is all the more precarious.
While America takes on strong foundations of democracy, it is important to acknowledge the vastly different forms of government and policy of other countries. Though Sudan has been pushed by three presidents as a foreign policy priority, after decades of conflict and with the current ongoing power struggle with no means of compromise in sight, a democratic transition grows increasingly difficult and proves the futility of following political over constitutional interests.
3 comments:
I really like this post and agree with a lot of what is covered. As highlighted in the post, the ongoing conflict in Sudan has had significant international implications. The United States has invested a lot of resources and effort into supporting democracy and stability in Sudan. While the United States doesn't have a legal obligation to evacuate citizens, I think that it is crucial that they take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of their citizens in Sudan. It is important to recognize that democracy cannot be imposed from the outside, and each country holds a unique political landscape and history. It is essential to continue pushing for peaceful solutions and the promotion of stability in the region.
I agree with this post concerns have been made about US residents' safety due to the situation in Sudan. There are efforts being made to call for cease-fires and facilitate evacuations, despite criticism that the US did not order the evacuation of its residents. The stability of Sudan and the neighboring areas is at stake due to the power struggle between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. It is difficult to implement a democratic transition in Sudan because of the complicated forces at play. In order to come up with a solution that fosters stability and peace, international cooperation is essential.
The US citizens in Sudan have been repeatedly warned by the federal government to leave for years as it has watched the state struggle to deal with insurgents and a spiraling economy. Nonetheless, hundreds of US citizens have been since evacuated from the country via the Navy. They were reportedly taken through a corridor across the red sea and have since been transported to Egypt for proper processing. Resources have been invested from numerous allies like the European Union and Saudi Arabia. They have supported forward staging areas for receiving refugees and have ensured the safe transit of thousands of international citizens fleeing the conflict. Sudan must also invest in its future stability - it has numerous issues with corruption and human rights abuses that it needs to address if it wants to garner economic and political investment from foreign nations. The fact the US is not obligated to defend its citizens in foreign countries when they are in danger is interesting and should be widely understood when traveling or choosing to live abroad.
https://www.state.gov/evacuation-efforts-of-u-s-citizens-from-sudan/
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