Civilians have better opportunities to promote peace in Sudan
The work of the Finnish organisation CMI has improved dialogue in war-torn Sudan.
Thanks to the dialogue supported by the peace mediation organisation CMI, founded by President and Nobel Peace Laureate Martti Ahtisaari, cooperation between Sudan’s political parties, civil activists and trade unions has been strengthened. These groups have been able to build consensus on key issues concerning Sudan’s future and exchange views on how to restart political negotiations to transition to democracy.
Sudanese women also now have better opportunities to influence the political process to end the war and restart the peace process, thanks to CMI’s support. The goal is to secure the progress made in women’s status since the country’s 2019 revolution.
Background
In April 2023, a civil war broke out in Sudan when a power struggle between two factions of the military government turned into an open conflict. The military had halted the country’s transition to democracy in October 2021 by overthrowing the civilian government.
The war has had devastating consequences. Tens of thousands have died. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimated in June 2024 that there were now more than 10 million internally displaced persons in the country. Every second Sudanese is in need of humanitarian aid. The risk of the war spreading beyond the country’s borders is increasing.
In addition to ending the violence, political negotiations for a transition to democracy must be restarted. A key part of the solution is transferring power from the military to civilians. Without civilian involvement, sustainable peace cannot be achieved in Sudan.
Impact of Finland's development cooperation
CMI promotes the empowerment of civilians in Sudan with the support of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. In 2023, the ministry supported the project with EUR 380,000.