Support for the north-south peace agreement, a peace process for Darfur, and for peacekeeping and humanitarian operations is urgently needed.

Overview
The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January 2005 brought an end to the 21-year civil war between north and south Sudan. Refugees and internally displaced people are now returning to the south, but basic infrastructure and services remain poor, making successful reintegration an ongoing challenge. Conflict threatens to spark again in contested border areas, while upcoming 2009 elections could also impact peace and security. In Darfur, the situation continues to deteriorate, with no ongoing peace process, restricted humanitarian access, and still only a limited presence of peacekeeping forces.

Current Humanitarian Situation in South Sudan
An estimated 2 million of the more than 4 million people displaced by the north-south conflict have returned home. However, the scale of need in south Sudan is immense, and communities are very vulnerable to a new humanitarian crisis and outbreaks of further conflict if gaps in basic services go unaddressed. Resources pledged by donor governments, must be delivered to ensure that returning Sudanese, as well as recipient communities, gain greater access to water, medical assistance, education, and sustainable livelihoods. Local women’s groups must be assisted to enable their participation in the reintegration of returnees.

Current Humanitarian Situation in Darfur
Civilian protection in Darfur remains a serious concern. More than 2.2 million internally displaced people are in Darfur and over 200,000 are living in refugee camps in Chad. Government forces and government-backed militias are attacking displacement camps, rebel groups have splintered into numerous factions, and increasing insecurity has been forcing more civilians to flee their homes. The UN peacekeeping mission, UNAMID, lacks adequate resources and troops, and humanitarian workers are unable to access the most vulnerable due to insecurity and to government impediments. Refugees International is particularly concerned about sexual violence against women in Darfur and about the difficulties faced by civil society organizations who try to assist survivors.

Action Needed

• The US must provide diplomatic support to the full implementation of the CPA and the resumption of a Darfur peace process.
• The Government of Southern Sudan must make community recovery and return assistance a much higher priority while donor governments should provide flexible and timely funding to improve basic services and access to livelihoods.
• The international community must ensure that peacekeeping forces are fully deployed and equipped, and focused on civilian protection, particularly for women.
• The international community must insist on humanitarian access to people in need of assistance, and on protection for local human rights defenders.