The Executive Director of the US Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, affirmed the determination of the Biden administration to move forward in its development partnership with Sudan and to provide everything possible to assist the transitional government to accomplish the tasks of the transition, which she described as complex and grave.
Former journalist Samanta Power, who worked in Darfur seventeen years ago, spoke in a high tone and a voice of solidarity and sympathy about her current visit to Sudan, which she started in El Fasher in Darfur, and she visited Zamzam camp for displaced people whose suffering has been known for decades and who still dream of returning to their villages after the conditions are available. that enables them to do so.
She was one of those who did not imagine that the change that occurred in Sudan could happen, and in this way the Sudanese showed great courage and insight that inspired people in different parts of the world, describing what happened in Sudan as a "miracle."
She added that she understands the Sudanese's aspiration for quick solutions to the many problems they suffer from, but she said that this is something that definitely requires effort, resources and time. She said she discussed with Sudanese officials the priorities and the strengthening of the Sudanese-American partnership to move Sudan from the stage of receiving humanitarian aid to the stage of advancement and comprehensive development.
She explained that the US Agency for International Development has allocated 700 million dollars to help Sudan face the great challenges of the transition period, and that other international institutions such as the World Bank and the World Food Program will implement urgent projects within this amount to enhance food security and support vital sectors such as the energy sector.
She indicated that she had personally experienced a power outage during one of her meetings in Khartoum, and that she understands the distress of those who suffer from power cuts for long hours every day, not to mention the great suffering of those who have never enjoyed electricity in their lives, and they certainly deserve it.
Samantha Power said that the priority at the present time will be on issues of humanitarian aid, support for democratic transition, contribution to capacity building, reform and development of institutions in a way that allows them to attract the capabilities of Sudanese youth and allow them and provide job opportunities due to them by implementing changes and administrative and legal reforms to raise the efficiency of government administration agencies, reform and modernization.
She added that the resources of the USAID will also be made available to implement transitional justice processes and institutions, which must include societal reconciliations to restore social peace and hold accountable those who committed crimes in the civil war and during the popular revolution, provided that all these steps lead to laying the foundations and rules for governance, political development, stabilization and establishing security and achieving growth. the economic end of the transitional period with transparent democratic elections, and the transfer of power to an elected government.
In response to a question about the situation in Ethiopia and its impact on Sudan, the Executive Director of the US Agency for International Development said that Ethiopia is going through a critical and difficult stage, and the specter of famine is looming over the Tigray region, which means the influx of more refugees from Tigray and Al-Amhara to Sudan, and that she will go to Ethiopia to work to ensure the arrival of materials Urgent relief for those who deserve it in the trouble spots and help the Ethiopians to start a comprehensive dialogue between all parties to put an end to the suffering of the Ethiopians.
Power had begun her press conference by expressing her pride in working for many years to pursue and document violations that occurred in Darfur, with the participation of Dr. Omar Qamar El-Din, International Partnerships Adviser in the Prime Minister's Office, who gave her a comprehensive speech at the beginning of the conference.
Samantha Power had met the President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and Dr. Abdullah Hamdok, Prime Minister, Dr. Maryam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and a number of other senior officials.
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