Background

Over twenty years of civil strife consumed much of Sudan’s resources and left public institutions and human capital weakened. In January 2005, the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement /Army (SPLM/A) signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement based on a vision of wealth and power sharing that seeks equity, guarantees political rights and civil liberties, aims to prevent political and economical monopoly, and provides for a reformed and fully developed system of governance in which all Sudanese are equal.

Building on the 2005 peace agreement, the Joint Assessment Mission’s report titled “Framework for Sustained Peace, Development and Poverty Eradication” was adopted by the UN agencies and development partners working in Sudan as the blueprint for Sudan’s reconstruction and development needs for the interim period following the CPA. It covers the six-year interim period, with a focus on the first two-years (2005-2007) as a critical period. Developed through a highly consultative process,

The JAM assessed the country’s reconstruction and development needs and focused on eight sectors: 1) Institutional Development and Capacity Building; 2) Governance and Rule of Law; 3) Economic Policy and Management; 4) Productive Sectors ; 5) Basic Services; 6) Infrastructure; 7) Livelihoods and Social Protection; 8) Information. Recognizing the importance of poverty reduction and sustainable development in reducing potential and existing conflicts in Sudan, the JAM report provided a plan for addressing underlying structural causes of conflict and underdevelopment in Sudan and accelerating progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

To achieve the JAM plans, and the CPA vision that was reflected in the the Interim National Constitution, the newly established Government of National Unity (GoNU) and the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) embarked on creating a decentralized governmental system that promotes the respect of the universal values of rule of law, human rights and democracy, and allows for community-driven recovery and an important role for a vibrant civil society and independent media.

UNDP Sudan National priorities
As the lead agency for the Governance and Rule of Law and the institutional Development and Capacity building sectors and as the principal recipient of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM), UNDP Sudan focuses on the following national priorities that aim to lead to the achievements of the MDGs.

• Support the implementation of important elements of the CPA such as key commissions.
• Support public administration reforms, parliamentary systems and decentralization and electoral processes
• Support the development and implementation of pro-poor policies such as MDG-based PRS and direct monitoring of MDGs targets.
• Strengthen government capacity in policy development, strategic planning and programme formulation and management.
• Support the implementation of the Integrated National Demobilization Disarmament and Reintegration programme
• Support the national AIDS response.

To address the above-mentioned priorities, UNDP Sudan support the following national projects: