- Agriculture the key to poverty reduction, reduction of migration from rural to urban centers and social security and sustainable development.

- Tenure security matters because it is the basis for adequate housing, settlement upgrading, responsible private investment.

- Good land governance is therefore more and more considered to be a key element for the prevention, mitigation and resolution of conflicts

The Sudan’s comparative advantage is in Agriculture. Transformation of the agriculture sector, through increasing productivity, adding values to agriculture production and targeting investment in exportable agriculture goods, will accelerate the implementation of the SDGs in The Sudan.



Land - Peace

The agricultural sector with its two pillars, agriculture and livestock , have lately had the attention it deserve as the  sector on which any strategy or program for not only sustainable development but even national security should be based on because without food security there is no permanent national security.
This interest by the official, society and international interest in this sector was manifested recently by two important workshops.
The first was organized by the UN Habitat in cooperation with the UNDP, Darfur Land Commission, the Ministry of Environment, tribal and native administration leaders and many other key stakeholders. It came under the theme “ Land Conference :  Challenges and Opportunities.
There is a universal conscience that good land governance and land management is crucial for the social and economic development of the country, and this is an important in Sudan as well as in many other African countries.

The Land Conference had three themes; Tenure security,   
Fit for purpose land administration and Peace and stability.


Tenure security matters because it is the basis for adequate housing, settlement upgrading, responsible private investment and the overall prosperity of an inclusive and safe city in urban areas and as well households livelihoods and food security in the rural areas. No one should be left behind concerning land rights and government should recognize, respect and safeguard all legitimate land tenure rights, including informal and customary tenure. The rights and concerns of women, youth and vulnerable groups should be particularly addressed. Businesses are also responsible for respecting human rights and legitimate land tenure rights.
It includes formal and customary land administration. It is important because: a) it creates short, simple, affordable land procedures and standards adjusted to local requirements; b) it creates accountability, transparency and participation of all key stakeholders when managing land; c) it enables customer-friendly delivery systems that are effective and efficient, accessible and affordable, accountable and transparent, and that exploit digital and communication technologies as well as the wide range of data and information, including geospatial information; d) it leads to transparent and responsible public and private land management; e) it underpins the establishment and implementation of national land policies, laws and standards in accordance with international law.
This theme has significant importance for Sudan as there is critical and urgent need to address the conflicts and discrepancies between the customary and civil laws and codify them in one law. In turn this will boost national and international investors’ confidence and so assist in revitalizing and modernizing the agricultural sector in particular.
Sudan old and modern history shows that the third theme (Peace and Stability) of this conference is more than relevant national context. As there is increased evidence that land-related issues are one of the main root causes of civil unrest and violent conflicts globally, and they contribute to protracting conflicts in fragile states. Sudan is no exception. Good land governance is therefore more and more considered to be a key element for the prevention, mitigation and resolution of conflicts and for the early recovery of societies emerging from war. Further, internal conflicts seem to have higher incidence in states where institutions are weak, capacity is low and the legitimacy of the government is questioned. Land governance interventions are also crucial for strengthening the capacity, the institutions and the legitimacy of the state, aspects that can be considered as building blocks for state-building. State-building in conflict settings enhances the capacity, institutions and legitimacy of the state. In regard to land, capacity is the ability of the state to design and implement land related policies and laws, maintain rule of law and protect people from forced evictions. In regard to legitimacy, which is about whether the people and the have mutual trust and similar understanding of the concept, land policy processes develop the legitimacy of the state. Land administration systems must legitimise land tenure relationships between citizens and the state in a way that people can trust the government. Institutions are arrangement that structure political, economic and social interaction such as laws or customary practices. Land related examples are land laws for restitution, customary rules such as territorial agreements for stock routes, land record systems for forcibly abandoned houses. All of this builds land governance. It is therefore considered that land governance provides a solid foundation for conflict prevention, mitigation, resolution, early recovery and development as it addresses land as a root cause of conflicts and land governance process contribute to state-building and peace building.
The conference came out with good recommendations that needs to be considered very seriously and implemented in the best possible manner. 

Agricultural Sector

The second event which was not less in importance was the workshop organized by the FAO upon the request of the government on the relation between the agricultural sector and the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) . The significance of this workshop which came rather a bit late but nevertheless better than not , is that about 12 of the SDGs are linked directly or indirectly to the agricultural sector. And this link is very clear in the first two of these goals; SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (No Hunger).

With a wealth of natural resources, especially fertile soil and water, The Sudan’s comparative advantage is in Agriculture. Transformation of the agriculture sector, through increasing productivity, adding values to agriculture production and targeting investment in exportable agriculture goods, will accelerate the implementation of the SDGs in The Sudan. Especially poverty alleviation, fighting hunger and malnutrition, providing decent work, increasing economic growth, addressing inequality, among others, are areas where tangible progress can be made within the short SDGs period to 2030.  The National Agriculture Investment Plan 2017-2020 is a national strategy for transforming the agriculture sector through allocating a minimum of 10% of the Government budget to agriculture, and achieving a 6% annual growth in Agriculture GDP. The workshop objectives were : Increase the understanding of the potential contribution of food and agriculture to sustainable development in the context of the 2030 Agenda , Identify elements of actions of country-specific road map aiming to enhance the contribution of sustainable food and agriculture to national development and, Identify challenges of the SDGs to the Sudanese statistical system and measuring progress in achieving the SDGs.
The workshop aimed at “integrating SDGs in national development plans related to agriculture, natural resources management and rural development “ and rural development” and “Identify challenges of the SDGs to the Sudanese statistical system and measuring progress in achieving the SDGs”.
The challenge will be to integrate not only these workshop recommendations but also to combine it with the recommendations of the Conference on Land referred to above. If this is done it will pave the road not only for sustainable development in Sudan but as well for a lasting peace and stability in the country.

New Constitution

The highest political authority in the  country have decalred that the making of the new constitutions will be very inclusive.
So, the making of a new constitution is on the political agenda these days and presents a unique opportunity and challenges for all the political forces in the country and in particular the governing party.
It is an opportunity because the new constitution making process represent a chance for a genuine dialogue between the government and the opposition armed groups and peace. And as a matter of fact some armed groups have already expressed a desire to participate in the new constitution formulation deliberation.
Also, it is an opportunity to pave the ground for a sustainable national stability and reconciliation that have become a must.
The challenge is that all the political forces avail themselves of this opportunity and rise above petty differences for the sake of the higher national interest and sit together to draw not only a constitution but more important a new social contract between all the people of Sudan.
The new constitution must besides including the Bill of Rights already included in the present constitution another bill of social justice. Such a bill or a chapter in the constitution devoted to social justice will be the permanent cure for many of the causes of conflcts at many stages and degrees.
What is most important that there should be beside the participation of the political elite a chance for the public at the grassroots level to express their concerns and the aspirations that they wish to see in the new constitution? This is because at the end the constitution is a roadmap
to meet the people dream for a better life in all its forms.
In addition one of the merits of the 2005 Constitution was the Bill of Rights which was a great step in the progress of constitutional rights in Sudan. What we would like to see in the new constitution is another for Social Rights which without any political rights will be vague. In addition such a bill will be the durable solution to end social tension which have led in the past in many cases to violent conflicts which have cost the citizens and the country dearly  in terms of lost lives and assets and have hindered development for decades. 

African women empowerment

The women chapter in the African Political Parties Council (APPC) meeting in Khartoum yesterday was a chance for Sudan and other African countries to reaffirm their commitment to women political rights as the gate for all forms of development. Sudanese and African women have made a lot of progress in all fields in the last few decades but there is still much that needs to be done to reach the stage of equality that all Africans men and women aspire for in their society.
The Secretary General of the APPC in his address in the opening session pointed to the pioneering role and innovative capabilities of African women.
The empowerment of women is essential in the development of Africa because it is almost impossible to do so with half the society only but needs the combined efforts of the two wings, the men and women. This is also important because Africa generation wise is a young content with the majority of the population youth full of energy which when utilized on the base of gender equality can do miracles.
The today women inherited from their grandmothers and mothers the heritage of the struggle against the colonial rulers a fight in which men and women fought together and now their daughters and sons have another war and that is the war against poverty and for development and so need again to combine their efforts to win this battle.
What is important in today world for the development of Africa that the whole society , men and women and not half the society work hand in hand to reach not only the SDGs but as well Africa Agenda 2063.