Darfur and Southern Sudan

Sudan has been torn apart by internal conflicts for most of its independence. The root cause of the conflicts in both southern Sudan and Darfur is essentially the same: the hoarding of wealth and power by ruling elites in the capital, Khartoum. Ending genocide in Darfur and fulfilling the promise of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, or CPA—a deal brokered by the U.S. and others to end 22 years of war in the south—requires a comprehensive approach to Sudan rather than reactive crisis management. The international community must demand full and timely implementation of the CPA, particularly the provisions that pave the way for fair national elections. In Darfur, efforts to protect civilians need to be dramatically improved. There also must be a concerted multilateral diplomatic surge that imposes an escalating cost on belligerents for resisting a sensible peace process. At the same time, the international community should continue to support the important work of the International Criminal Court so that the perpetrators of the atrocities are held fully accountable. 

Roots of the Crisis

National identity in Sudan, Africa’s largest country, has always been a contentious issue. Sudan suffered both a difficult colonial history and a series of governments that have held power by exploiting Sudan’s religious and ethnic diversity. As a result, Sudan has been at war for most of its recent history. The country’s most significant conflicts have been between the north and south. A first civil war lasted from 1955 to 1972, and a second from 1983 to 2005.  In addition, since 2003, a genocide has been occurring in Darfur, the western-most region of Sudan.  The genocide in Darfur and the increasingly dangerous situation in southern Sudan are best understood as products of the same evil: the divide and rule policies of the political elites in the capital of Khartoum.  Omar al-Bashir and the elites in the Northern capital continue to maintain disproportionate power and benefit at the expense of the marginalized populations in the country’s periphery.

  •  From the Colonial Era to Civil War
  •  Garang, Bashir and the Second Sudanese Civil War
  •  The Comprehensive Peace Agreement
  •  Genocide in Darfur
  •  Bashir and the ICC
  •  Implementing the CPA and the Future of Sudan

Key Terms

Get to know the people, places, and groups relevant to the conflicts in southern Sudan and Darfur with our list of key terms.