Sudan urgently needs to embark on a national dialogue and reform process that is led by Sudanese and supported by the international community. Without such a process, Sudan has little chance of breaking its destructive cycle of instability. Authors Ambassador Princeton N. Lyman, a special advisor to the president of USIP and former special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, and Jon Temin, director of USIP’s Horn of African program, examine the way forward.
Summary
- Sudan urgently needs to embark on a national dialogue and reform process that is led by Sudanese and supported by the international community.
- The process should be broadly inclusive, involving elements of the current regime, Islamists, and all armed and unarmed opposition groups.
- Any meaningful process will be lengthy, likely requiring years to complete. If a genuine, inclusive process is underway, elections in 2015 may need to be delayed.
- The African Union High-Level Implementation Panel has a critical role to play in advocating for and guiding such a process.
About This Brief
This brief analyzes prospects for genuine national dialogue and reform in Sudan. Ambassador Princeton N. Lyman is a special advisor to the president of the United States Institute of Peace and the former United States special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan. Jon Temin is the director of the Horn of African program at the United States Institute of Peace. The views expressed here are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Institute of Peace, which does not take policy positions.