Damanga encourages international community to deny sudan $6 billion pledge

May 08, 2008

        The Sudan consortium is meeting from May 5-7, 2008 in Oslo, Norway to discuss funding for development in Sudan. The Consortium was enacted as a result of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended Sudan’s civil war in 2005. The government of Sudan has asked the international community to pledge $6 billion over the next three years.

         However, the Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy strongly opposes the pledging of $6 billion to Sudan. Damanga fears the money will be used to purchase weapons to use against Darfurians and continue genocide in Darfur. Additionally, Damanga is doubtful that the Government of Khartoum will evenly distribute the aid to South Sudan for developmental projects. In this sense, the funding will promote genocide in Darfur and deny South Sudan resources for progression. Therefore, it is necessary that the international community work together to end the genocide and provide stability in Darfur. The conflict needs to be resolved before Sudan can flourish and utilize international funding for developmental projects.