UN plans for post-conflict era

The UN has submitted a plan to the Sudanese government, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army rebel group and donors to spend over US $140 million on immediate assistance to the country in the event of a peace deal. The quick-start programme, designed to support the Sudanese peace process, envisages spending US $142,330,800 in a one-year programme. It hopes to "demonstrate the positive impact of the peace process in key conflict-affected geographical areas" by allowing the Sudanese to benefit from "peace dividends". Once a deal had been signed, expectations among Sudanese populations would be very high, said the UN. "It will be necessary to provide recovery assistance that responds rapidly to the legitimate expectations and demands of Sudanese populations who will be eager to see rapid improvements." The money is to be divided among various UN agencies, and spent across northern and southern Sudan in 37 separate projects. A Joint Planning Mechanism was set up by the government and the SPLM this year to plan where and what assistance would be needed in Sudan during the six-and-a-half year interim period, following the signing of a peace deal. A meeting held in May decided that immediate priorities should include the return and reintegration of all displaced persons and refugees, economic development, mine-action programmes, the building of infrastructure, and the rehabilitation of basic services such as health, education, sanitation, and water supply. It is expected that between three and four million internally displaced Sudanese will either return to their homes or move to a place of their choice once a peace deal has been signed.