Situation Report: Eastern Sudan: Challenges Facing the Implementation of the Peace Agreement in Gedaref State, Munzoul AM Assal, Samia AM Ali

This paper looks at some of the challenges facing the East Sudan Peace Agreement (ESPA) concluded in Eritrea in October 2006; between the government of Sudan and the Eastern Front (EF). The agreement brought to an end ten years of hostilities in eastern Sudan and averted a widening crisis in the region. With Eritrean mediation, the agreement was concluded in a relatively short period, possibly because the problems in eastern Sudan are not as intractable as those in other parts of the country (such as South Sudan and Darfur). However, the relatively smooth way in which the agreement was reached does not imply any guarantee that such “ease” will also be reflected in the implementation process, and there is ample evidence, even before ESPA reaches its first anniversary, that the agreement is facing a number of internal and external challenges. These relate, in part, to the demographic composition of Eastern Sudan; another issue is the lack of clear mechanisms or modalities for implementation. A further challenge is the re-inclusion of Gedaref State in the context of Eastern Sudan. Although other challenges are no less significant, this paper will focus primarily on the re-inclusion of Gedaref and its implications for the future of politics in the region. Its findings are based on brief fieldwork in Gedaref State, primarily focused on interviewing government functionaries and civil society activists. The intention was to capture a general picture of the opinion of civil society leaders about the ESPA and its implications for Gedaref. First it presents general background information on Eastern Sudan with particular emphasis on Gedaref State. Second, we take a critical look at the ESPA and discuss some of its main elements and provisions. Moreover, the issue of Gedaref within Eastern Sudan and within ESPA will be addressed. Problems and challenges facing the agreement will then be discussed based on field data.