Sudan Solutions
April 21, 2023 - As tensions flare in Sudan, maybe it's time to reach into the WPS toolbox and tap women.
Eid mubarek… İyi bayramlar…. 🍬 (Fun fact: In Turkish the end of Ramadan is referred to as the candy holiday)
And happy Earth Day! 🌍
Four years ago, on April 11, 2019, Sudan’s long ruling dictator, Omar al-Bashir stepped down after a quarter of a century in power. Sudan’s military ousted the former general, following months of large-scale protests, initially against rising prices and cuts in subsidies to food and fuel. Seventy percent of the protesters were women, who also mobilized against Bashir’s heavy-handed rule that policed women’s dress, mobility, and bodily autonomy. Alaa Salah, aka Kandaka (Nubian queen), came to symbolize Sudan’s women and their desire for freedom and, most importantly, a return to civilian rule.
Sadly, that would not happen.
While women played a pivotal role in Bashir’s ouster, they were completely sidelined from participating in discussions for an eventual transition to civilian rule. In April 2019, Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and the country’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took over, under the tutelage of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemedti), respectively. They made up the Transitional Military Council (TMC) that supposedly planned to oversee a change to democracy.
Last week, the SAF and RSF violently clashed in what Jeffrey Feltman, a former UN official, called “a winner-takes-all battle for supremacy.” Several hundred died and a number of Western diplomats got caught up in the crossfire, which is expected to get worse and possibly lead to civil war.
Burhan (SAF) and Hemedti (RSF) clearly had control, rather than democracy, on their minds. Both had international backers to help fuel their respective desires. Egypt, eager for stability in its backyard, has been pulling for Burhan. Russia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia see Hemedti as their guy since he is reported to control Sudan’s gold mines. Russia, in particular, is eager not only to access financial resources but also to set up a naval base in Sudan that would, as Ishaan Tharoor wrote in Today’s Worldview, “give Moscow a path into the Indian Ocean.”
Meanwhile, the US and a number of other governments have “urged” a “cessation in hostilities.” (Honestly, we need to get beyond press release clichés and just tell dick waggers to put it back in their pants and stop.) Not surprisingly, no one is listening.
Africa has long been an afterthought for Washington, seen more as a pawn in geopolitics than a place that deserves a thoughtful approach. That was true during the Cold War. It is true today, as the US has turned more attention to the continent in an effort to out-rival China, which has been investing heavily in Africa. Last December, the White House hosted the US-Africa Leaders Summit to “strengthen” ties with the continent’s leaders. In the past year, Biden has dispatched his treasury secretary, his US ambassador to the UN, and most recently his vice president to the continent. The US commerce secretary plans to go this summer. Coincidentally, all women.
That’s the opportunity.
Women delivered peace in Liberia. (Definitely watch Pray the Devil Back to Hell). They hold the potential solution to Sudan. As Washington, the UN, and the African Union look to defuse tensions in Khartoum, all need to think beyond business and economic incentives and reach into the Women, Peace, and Security toolbox. WPS calls for women to participate not just in peace negotiations but in governance, particularly national security. Women's participation makes a peace agreement 64% less likely to fail. Having led the revolution in 2019, it is a role that Sudan’s women want. Let’s work on giving it to them.
— Elmira
Elsewhere in the World.....
On our radar...
Sudan
What’s behind the clashes in Sudan? Beverly Ochieng provides an overview. (BBC)
Nosmot Gbadamosi takes a look at the clash between the generals. (Foreign Policy)
The chaos in Sudan is killing citizens. Two major military groups are fighting in the capital, Khartoum, while both groups’ leaders announced they have ruled out negotiations, says Khaleda Rahman. (Newsweek)
As political and social unrest in Sudan continues, Willow Berridge considers the possibility of the country starting an all-out war. (Middle East Eye)
US
Among the things that the latest leak revealed: Egypt’s plans to provide Russia with weapons. That’s a problem, says Danielle Pletka. The US supplies Egypt, along with other Middle Eastern states with enormous aid ($350 billion). Time to reconsider that approach. (The Hill)
The 23-year-old FDA approval for the drug mifepristone has been suspended in the US – but what even is mifepristone? Dahlia Lithwick explains the abortion pill and the 150-year-old law that has allowed for its suspension. (Slate)
Africa
In the eastern DRC, a collective of volunteers and activists are bringing Congolese solutions to the conflict in Goma. Arlette Bashizzi on the community-led organization providing food and support to those displaced by war. (The New Humanitarian)
The M23, aka the Congolese Revolutionary Army, has caused countless deaths and terrorized the region. Despite calls from the US and EU, its main supporter, the Rwandan government, has yet to stop funding the group. Ari Tolany and Daniel Levine-Sproud think that the international community is just not applying enough pressure. (Just Security)
A new anti-LGBTQ law in Uganda, which criminalizes the "promotion" of homosexuality and other related activities, is a violation of human rights and a step backwards for Uganda's democracy. Rachelle Chase shares a story of a Ugandan LGBTQ activist. (USA Today)
Liberians don’t go to the polls until October, but tensions between the ruling party and its opposition are already high. Could it lead to an electoral crisis? Robtel Neajai Pailey and Oscar Bloh raise concerns about the potential for fraud and irregularities. (African Arguments)
Asia
As North Korea advances its nuclear capabilities, South Korea and the US need to update their strategy for nuclear deterrence, write Jennifer Lind and Daryl Press. (Foreign Affairs)
The US withdrawal from Afghanistan handed China an opportunity. Last week, Beijing put out a paper outlining its approach to the country. Except, it’s a lot of rhetoric and low on actual substance, says Shanthie Mariet D’Souza. (The Diplomat)
Who are the latest warriors in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist movement? Women. Sanya Dhingra sheds light on the “army of militarily oriented, fiercely independent, yet socially conservative women leaders,” emerging in Hindu nationalist circles. (New Lines Magazine)
Love is love. Judges in India started hearings to legalize homosexuality in the country, which means same-sex unions might be recognized soon. 🙌 Manasi Gopalakrishnan explains the attitudes of Indians towards homosexuality. (DW)
Russia’s war in Ukraine is reshaping Kazakhstan. Marie Dumoulin dives deep into how the war is shedding light on the need for political reforms in Kazakhstan. (ECFR)
Over 2 million — that is how many bombs the US dropped during one of the most unrecognized conflicts in modern history — the US war in Laos. Aleena Inthaly calls for a remembrance, underscoring the need to recognize the war’s impact on the people and environment of Laos. (Responsible Statecraft)
Despite international condemnation, Myanmar’s military junta continues to use violent tactics to suppress dissent and maintain control. The situation is likely to deteriorate further without significant international intervention to protect the people's rights and freedoms, says Tharaphi Than. (The Conversation)
The Americas
Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, traveled to Beijing last week, where he seemed to signal his country’s shift to the East. That might make Brazil seem like a global player, but as Alicia Garcia-Herrero points out, it only shows the country’s dependence on China. (Nikkei Asia)
Guatemala’s presidential race kicked off on March 27, though the actual election isn’t for another few months. Who’s running? And what’s at stake? Regina Bateson, Josephine Lechartre, Donald Plenty, and Mike Allison fill us in. (The Dialogue)
Europe
In Britain, junior doctors are on strike. But this isn’t just a demand for more money. Gen Z feel betrayed and is here to let you know about it, writes Gaby Hinsliff. (The Guardian)
What do we need to know before the NATO summit this summer in Vilnius? Judy Dempsey fills us in. (Carnegie Europe)
Russia is going digital – when it comes to their military draft, that is. Ellery Roberts Biddle clues us in on the Russian government’s plan to prevent men from fleeing the country, as they did last year, by drafting them electronically. (Coda Story)
Middle East
Tunisia’s leader, Qais Saied, was right to reject the IMF’s bailout offer, argues Alissa Pavia. (Foreign Policy)
More and more Arab countries are reestablishing relations with Syrian dictator, Bashar Assad. Does this help or hurt Syrians? Cathrin Scaher discusses. (DW)
In Yemen, over 1,000 detainees have been released and returned to their homes. Margaret Besheer with more on progress in Yemen. (Voice of America)
Making up in the Middle East. It’s not just Iran and Saudi Arabia. Last week, Bahrain and Qatar announced that they will restore diplomatic relations, after more than five years of estrangement. What does that actually mean? Lina Khatib takes a look. (WPR)
Climate Change
How can we get people to change habits and behavior to be more climate friendly? Sadly, it’s through comparison, writes Andrea Thompson. (Scientific American)
Climate change is a medical issue, argues Neelu Tummala. (Newsweek)
Chile is going green. The country is aiming to supply 70% of the country’s energy needs through renewable sources. Antonia Laborde has the details. (El País)
Time to speed up the development of renewable energy. That’s what G7 ministers agreed to in Japan this week. Katya Golubkova and Yuka Obayashi outline the new targets for solar and wind capacity. (Reuters)
Technology
AI needs to slow its roll, according to Ada Chung Lai-ling, at least until proper data and privacy controls can be put in place. Many embrace these newfangled inventions, but there are serious, scary implications that come with AI systems that haven’t been properly investigated. (South China Morning Post)
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Eid al-Fitr is today, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan! See how Muslims celebrate all over the world.
Event Alert!
If you’re in NYC next Thursday, April 27, I’m sitting down with Rana Foroohar and Shannon O’Neil to talk about how globalization has gone local, 6:30pm. Details and RSVP here.
Job Opportunities
Young Professionals in Foreign Policy Fellowship is taking applications through May 6.
In DC, the President Woodrow Wilson House Historic Site is searching for a Deputy Director.
Helen Keller Int is on the hunt for a CEO.
Editorial Team
Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief
Editors:
Rasmiia Abasova
Samantha Felman
Pin-Shan Lai
Catherine Lovizio
Emily Smith