The implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Southern Sudan progressed despite delays in the implementation of key aspects of the agreement.  However, the three year-old conflict in Darfur has yet to be resolved and massive humanitarian needs were expected well into 2007 and beyond.

The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) was signed on 5 May 2006 by the Sudanese Government and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) faction of Minni Minnawi, militarily the largest of the three main rebel factions.  The Abdel Wahid faction of the SLM/A and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) refused to sign the agreement.  This partial signing of the DPA heightened tensions and factionalism, which in turn increased ethnic divisions and further exacerbated security conditions, human rights violations and increased vulnerability.  Since the signing of the agreement, fighting escalated between signatories and those who refused to sign and, as a result, access to the affected population in Darfur has decreased to its lowest level since early 2004.  In addition, tensions in the Eastern region and Abyei are continuing.

IDPs in Sudan [Photo: OCHA/Sudan]

The continued provision of massive relief was essential across Darfur as the population was almost entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance.  In a situation of continued provision of assistance, Protection and Gender Based Violence remained the most significant challenges for the population of Darfur.  Continued assistance could not, however, be assumed.  Tension and insecurity in the Darfur region were at their highest levels since 2004 and the period since May 2006 saw increased displacement, deadly attacks on humanitarian staff and hijacking of vehicles, resulting in a dramatic reduction in access.  Negotiations for humanitarian access were increasingly difficult due to fractionalization of the rebel groups, and growing politicization of internally displaced people (IDPs).

Tackling Southern Sudan's enormous post-conflict challenges and delivering peace dividends required significant and sustained efforts by the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), State Governments, and renewed and focused international support to help consolidate the CPA.  In Southern Sudan, the shift from relief to recovery was promising, but expectations among the Southern Sudanese for greater stability, improved basic services, and improved livelihood opportunities remained high.  Although there had been relative peace, there had also been an increase in inter-communal conflict because of a vacuum of law and order in the region.  In addition, tension and intermittent insecurity prevailed in the three areas of Abyei, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile.  The issue of the Abyei Boundary Commission Report had yet to be resolved.

An outbreak of acute watery diarrhea (AWD) began in Southern Sudan in late January 2006, initially reported from Yei Town in Central Equatoria State.  The outbreak subsequently spread to involve the urban centers of Juba, Torit and Malakal as well as many smaller towns and villages in Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, and Upper Nile States.  Western Equatoria State had reported sporadic cases and Unity State reported suspicious cases.  In a four-month period following the initial report, over 12,000 cases were reported with 314 deaths for an overall case fatality rate (CFR) of 2.63 percent.  The causative agent was identified as Vibrio cholerae inaba from multiple reporting sites.

Although the outbreaks at most locations were controlled, other towns and villages reported new cases as the bacteria spread through population movements.  As of mid-April 2006, there were approximately 400 cases per week reported from locations in Southern Sudan other than Juba.  At the time of the outbreak, it was estimated that the trend was likely to continue over the following three months due to population movements, onset of the rainy season and low availability of safe water and appropriate sanitation.

Click here to download the full 2006 CERF report for Sudan.

UNHCR convoy of refugees traveling from the border area to Um Shalaya camp in June 2006 [Photo: UNHCR/Williamson]

Rapid Response Grant to Darfur – May 2006 ($20 million)
Receiving the CERF grant for Darfur was imperative for UN agencies to be able to respond quickly to the new displacement of approximately 200,000 IDPs and influx of 14,000 Chadian refugees.  With most agencies experiencing severe funding shortages with respect to the already anticipated caseload of IDPs in Darfur, there was no funding available for the newly displaced.  In addition, the quick disbursement of CERF funding allowed a number of agencies to implement immediately response activities before the onset of the rainy season, which would have made access to many areas in Darfur even more problematic.

 

Rapid Response Grant to Southern Sudan – May 2006 ($1 million)
The CERF funds ensured urgent life-saving needs of cholera affected populations of Southern Sudan.  Specifically, the CERF funds facilitated rapid installation and operation of safe water sources and construction of emergency sanitation facilities.  Furthermore, the CERF grant enabled dissemination of hygiene knowledge through community mobilization, training of hygiene promotion teams, use of mass media, religious institutions and influential community leaders, and training of surveillance teams.  The above interventions resulted in reduced incidence of cholera within vulnerable population and saved lives.

UN Humanitarian Air Services planet [Photo: OCHA/Sudan]

Rapid Response Grant for the provision of Humanitarian Air Services in Darfur – October 2006 ($4.5 million)
CERF funding facilitated an increase in air transport capacity allowing for safe transport of staff to carry out rapid needs assessments and other life-saving humanitarian activities, including delivery of humanitarian cargo to remote and insecure areas. The humanitarian air service was instrumental in providing the humanitarian community with safe and reliable access to remote areas where overland travel was difficult or impossible due to insecurity.  The presence of an expanded fleet of helicopters in Darfur allowed for conducting more rapid assessments, monitoring of humanitarian activities in difficult-to-access areas, delivery of urgent humanitarian cargo, and increased evacuation capacity.

Rapid Response Grant to Darfur – December 2006 ($10 million)
The overall impact of the CERF funds was to enable UNICEF and partners to pre-position essential health supplies at the field level for rapid response to health emergencies. The funds enabled UNICEF to mobilize available stocks of essential supplies (originally purchased for regular programming) that would be replenished with CERF and other donor stocks.

[Last Update: 4 September 2007]

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Click here for CERF in the Sudan 2007