Sudan Reports

Research Report – Envisioning a Path Forward – August 2022

This study was conducted by Search for Common Ground (Search) from September 2021 to May 2022 in partnership with the Sudanese National Commission for Counter Terrorism (SNCCT) and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sudan. It follows previous Search-led research on violent extremism in Sudan which culminated in the report Among Friends and Family. It deepens the evidence on the drivers and root causes of violent extremism (VE) in Sudan to support the development of a comprehensive national strategy and action plan for preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) and resilience to radicalization programs for Sudanese prisons. The findings of this study are based on 115 interviews with diverse stakeholders from Gadarif, Jazeerah and Khartoum.

  • The Islamic State (IS/ISIS/ISIL) is the most prominent and active violent extremist organization recruiting from and operating in Sudan.
  • There are critical regional factors such as border security, proliferation of small arms and light weapons and a lack of regional cooperation that contribute to rising VE recruitment and activity within Sudan.
  • Narratives that Islam is threatened by foreign governments and ideologies or that it is broken and needs to be fixed are key to the recruitment of Sudanese into VEOs. These narratives are disseminated online and through sympathetic religious institutions and schools which are frequently funded by donors in the Gulf States.
  • There are critical regional factors such as border security, proliferation of small arms, crackdowns on VE groups in neighboring countries and a lack of regional cooperation that contribute to rising VE recruitment and activity within Sudan.
  • Female research participants who joined VEOs were recruited by similar technical means as their male counterparts. But they were also attracted by a sense of freedom they felt adherence to traditional gender roles may provide.
  • There are no apparent monetary incentives or motivations for Sudanese who have joined international VEOs. Most research participants came from families of relative wealth and privilege.
  • The transitional government is in a sensitive position that risks fueling VE-propaganda and recruitment as it seeks to implement otherwise popular reforms.
  • Sudanese prisons provide opportunities for VE recruiters. There are currently no programs in the prisons to specifically prevent the spread of VE ideologies. In some cases, imprisonment of VEO participants is believed to have led to more extreme VE ideation.
  • Religious leaders, government officials and civil society see a clear role for themselves and their respective institutions in a comprehensive plan to prevent violent extremism.

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Women, Rise Up!

In Sudan, millions of women face economic and political exclusion, with women refugees facing extra challenges. After our work in South Kordofan to support women’s rights, especially for displaced people, 95 percent of respondents say that they will publicly support equal rights and opportunities.

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Report – SFCG Among Family and Friends – August2020

The research team in consultation with Search for Common Ground (Search), the Sudanese National Commission on Counter-terroism (SNCCT), and the US Embassy identified three target areas for this research: South Darfur, Kassala, and Khartoum. These locations were selected based on the diversity of risk factors they represent, as outlined below, and the assumption that their varying contexts would provide unique insights into the different factors that influence recruitment in Sudan.

Connecting the Horn of Africa to North Africa and the Middle East, Sudan is a converging ground for a variety of extremist groups and an at-risk country for violent extremism (VE). Under President Omar al-Bashir, Sudan was known for providing a safe haven to groups promoting extremist and violent ideology, including Al Qaeda, the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Al Shabaab, and Boko Haram. Long-standing violent conflict, displacement, human rights abuses, and a worsening economy act as risk factors for VE in the country, but were also the driving force behind the peaceful revolution that removed Bashir from power in April 2019. This revolution has resulted in a 39-month transitional period that may usher in a new future of civilian rule. While this is an unprecedented time in Sudan with significant opportunities for hope and change, it is also a time of immense uncertainty as the Transitional Government grapples with a myriad of challenges including a spiraling economy, spoilers within and outside the government, and violent conflict in Sudan’s peripheral states.

While terrorism and VE have been consistent concerns in Sudan since the late 1990s, there has yet to be an in-depth evidence base on the topic to inform programmatic responses. The sensitivity of discussing VE in Sudan as well as the extremely restrictive operating environment have limited opportunities for research and locally-led response. Recently, Sudan has eased restrictions to allow such research,6 and the transition provides another window of opportunity to continue to build understanding of VE in the country. The research and data collection which informs this report faced a myriad of challenges due to the shifting security situation during the 2019 revolution. The insecurity and changing context delayed the research and required the research team to frequently adapt their plans. However, this transition has also highlighted possible entry points that can inform civil society efforts to transform VE in Sudan as the country moves forward.

Among Family and Friends: Executive Summary (AR)
Among Family and Friends: Executive Summary (ENG)
Among Family and Friends: Full Report
Among Family and Friends: Infographic

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Report – Sowing Seeds of Peace in Sudan – August 2020

Since July 2020, the French Embassy-funded program, “Empowering Women and Youth in South Kordofan”, and the EU-funded project, “Strengthening Women and Youth-led Approaches to Reconciliation and Conflict Prevention”, co-supported the distribution of seeds in different locations throughout South Kordofan.

Search staff and local representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture organized the distribution of seeds among the four villages of Sir Alamin, Um Alwan, Alfarshaya, and Alshuroug. In each of the four locations, the livelihood activity began with the agro-technician of the Ministry of Agriculture providing helpful information on how farmers can best prepare their lands and harvest the seeds that were distributed. The same approach occurred in Kadugli, with Search partnering with Badya Centre for Integrated Development.

In total, 139 residents (67 men and 72 women) from the Diling area received seeds. Meanwhile, in Kadugli, 811 people (389 men and 422 women) received parcels of seeds, representing internally displaced people, returnees, and local residents.

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Pastoralism and Conflict in the Sudano-Sahel: A Review of the Literature

This literature review was developed as part of the project “Partnership for Stability and Security in the Sudano-Sahel” supported by U.S. State Department, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations between October 2019 and March 2021. The goal of this project is to inform stabilization and development efforts in communities across the Sudano-Sahel affected by cross-border farmer-herder conflict by identifying proven, data-informed methods of conflict transformation.

This review covers the following key trends and debates from existing literature:

  • Resource Competition and Adaptation – This Section reviews arguments that analyze pastoralism-related conflicts through the lens of competition over resources. The materials cover the major economic and environmental shifts that have reshaped pastoral livestock production in the Sudano-Sahel and how these shifts are changing relationships between pastoralists and farmers.
  • Governance, Law, and Dispute Resolution – This Section breaks down key debates on the policies governing land use and pastoral mobility and how these policies may reinforce or mitigate conflict and the efficacy of local authorities and systems in managing resource disputes.
  • “New Fringe Pastoralism” – This Section explores the intersection between pastoralist populations and illicit activities or insurgent violence. This Section speaks to an ongoing debate in existing scholarship, policy discourse, and public perception about whether or not some pastoral populations should be seen as vectors of violence or criminality.

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Baseline Study – Minatinaa Fi Tamasokona: Strengthening Non-violence as a strategy for peacebuilding and promoting social cohesion – February 2020

Search for Common Ground (Search), in partnership with Badya Centre for Integrated Development Services (Badya), is implementing an 18-month project “Minatinaa fi Tamasokona (Strong in Our Social Cohesion): Strengthening Nonviolence as a Strategy for Peacebuilding and Promoting Social Cohesion in the Abyei Area” with generous support from the US Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs.

This project works to build collaboration between Misseriya and Ngok Dinka communities to support peaceful conflict transformation and to collaboratively address human security and socioeconomic development issues in Abyei. Through this project, Search and Badya are building the capacity of and strengthening local peacebuilding mechanisms like the Joint Community Peace Committee (JCPC) as well as supporting the inclusion of youth, women, and other marginalized voices to contribute to peacebuilding and peaceful conflict transformation in Abyei.

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Search for Common Ground Sudan: 2017–2021 Country Strategy

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