U.S. Policy toward Sudan not “meaningful”, says John Prendergast of Enough Project.
Special to USAfrica multimedia networks, and CLASSmagazine, Houston
USAfrica, Washington DC: A leading analyst of United States and Africa international relations John Prendergast of the Enough Project has stated in a report to USAfricaonline.com that U.S. policy is not contributing in a meaningful way to creating peace and justice in Sudan. In a report by the Enough project, the group argues for alternative steps that officials can take to make peace in Sudan a reality. With only six months until the self-determination referenda for South Sudan and Abyei, the report describes how U.S. policymakers have failed to act decisively to prevent a return to war between North and South Sudan, or to resolve the escalating conflict in Darfur.
In the report, titled, “What’s Wrong with U.S. Policy Toward Sudan, and How to Fix It,” Enough Co-founder Prendergast argues that the words and actions of U.S. officials have undermined the administration’s influence in Sudan, just when its efforts are needed most. “The time has come for an urgent rethink of how the United States can contribute to peace in Sudan now, building on the lessons of the recent past,” writes Prendergast.
The report outlines four specific areas where U.S. policy is off course. These include a flawed peace process in Darfur, a hands-off approach to critical negotiations to prevent renewed North-South war, the role of the Unites States in building leverage for peace, and justice as an essential component of sustainable peace.
“The United States made a major contribution to peace-making in Sudan in the past decade,” argues Prendergast. “Sadly, the Obama administration is not building on the lessons of past success and thus is not positioning itself to play the role that is needed in averting all-out war in 2011.” USAfrica wt report from Enough Project
