Sudan’s Peace Settlement: Progress and Perils
11 September - Sudan’s Peace Settlement: Progress and Perils (Symposium); Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Institute for National Strategic Studies and The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. On January 9, 2005, amidst much international acclaim, the Government of Sudan and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Army signed the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Nairobi, Kenya. This achievement marked the culmination of painstaking negotiations involving the Khartoum government, southern rebel groups, and outside mediators to bring closure to more than two decades of civil war.* Still, less than two years after its adoption, international attention has turned away from the north-south peace agreement.* The CPA may be faltering, and the chances for the full realization of its provisions could be in doubt. While the country has experienced a number of positive developments in the implementation of the agreement, it has also endured some serious setbacks and challenges, to include the death of former Vice President John Garang, increasing intra-factional divisions, and dwindling international focus on the requirements of the CPA due to the ongoing crisis in the Darfur region. In light of the above, an increased level of attention and a renewed commitment on the part of all parties to the implementation the CPA is necessary to engender further progress and maximize the prospects of success. To these ends, the National Defense University in partnership with the Woodrow Wilson Center will convene a one-day symposium to assess the progress and challenges to the CPA's implementation, evaluate the effectiveness of its provisions to date, and discuss the ways and means by which the international community can contribute to ensuring full and successful implementation of the CPA. Featured speakers include current and former senior government officials involved in establishing and managing defense and security policy and a wide range of experts.