About the project
The third largest country in Africa, Sudan sits at the intersection–both geographically and culturally–of the Arab and African worlds and, as such, exerts great influence in a turbulent region. In the wake of longtime president Omar al-Bashir’s removal from power in April 2019, and the ensuing turbulence, the country remains pivotal. While governance in Sudan has long been of interest to the United States, in recent years the United States adopted a policy of engagement–rather than isolation–as it seeks to promote positive change in Sudan.
Featured commentary & analysis
AfricaSource
Mar 3, 2021
The unintended consequence of Ethiopia’s civil war might be a border war with Sudan
By
Ethiopia is at war with itself—and the international community is struggling to respond. The stakes in Tigray are high and the civilian toll could be considerable. But there’s another scenario, with the potential to exact an even higher toll, that many observers are overlooking: conventional war that could break out at any moment between Sudan and Ethiopia and their many allied proxies.
AfricaSource
Dec 14, 2020
What Sudan’s terror delisting really means
By
The announcement today that the forty-five day notification period to Congress had elapsed and Sudan was finally off the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list is historic. It validates the new direction of the country, which it was set upon nearly two years ago by nationwide, peaceful street protests. More importantly, it represents a definitive break with Sudan’s troubled past—the true end of the Bashir era, which began more than thirty years ago—and holds out the hope for a more prosperous future for all Sudanese. The weight of the moment cannot be understated.
New Atlanticist
Dec 6, 2019
Prime minister promises “Sudan will never be the same again”
By
David A. Wemer
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok became the first Sudanese leader to travel to Washington, DC in more than thirty years, seeking to win more international support for his transitional government as it tries to guide Sudan towards democracy. “There is a success story that is emerging” in Sudan, Hamdok told an audience at the Atlantic Council on December 5. In a “region full of crises and riddled with conflicts, Sudan provides hope,” Hamdok declared.
Featured reports & research
Issue Brief
Mar 8, 2018
Sudan: Soft power, cultural engagement, and national security
By
Tim Carney and Mary Carlin Yates
The third paper in the new Atlantic Council Sudan Task Force series, “Sudan: Soft Power, Cultural Engagement, and National Security” examines the importance of people-to-people engagement and its relevance to broader US strategic aims in Sudan. More than two decades of isolation have succeeded in funneling Sudan’s best and brightest to seek higher education and […]
Issue Brief
Mar 8, 2018
Sudan: Prospects for economic re-engagement
By
Jeffrey Herbst
The second paper in the new Atlantic Council Sudan Task Force series, “Sudan: Prospects for Economic Re-engagement” examines the possibility of a new era of US economic cooperation with Sudan, including an opportunity for the United States to push for desperately needed economic reforms as part of wider US bilateral engagements efforts. Authored by Dr. […]
Issue Brief
Mar 8, 2018
Sudan: Politics, Engagement, and Reform
By
Johnnie Carson and Zach Vertin
The first paper in the new Atlantic Council Sudan Task Force series, “Sudan: Politics, Engagement, and Reform” examines the political landscape in the country in the wake of renewed bilateral engagement, addressing questions of governance, inclusion, and reform. Co-authored by Ambassador Johnnie Carson and Zach Vertin in collaboration with the Council’s Sudan Task Force, the […]
Experts
