We welcome STG Alumnus Hamid Khalafallah to discuss the war in Sudan and its implications on the region, Europe, and globally in the short and long term.
Since its outbreak in April 2023, the war in Sudan has turned the country in the worst humanitarian crisis globally. So far, 7.1 million people are internally displaced, with 1.1 million people across the border in neighboring countries, in what can be described as extremely dire conditions, the 1.1 million refugees which the country has been hosting before the current war are in no better positions as they struggle to find a new safe refuge.
For seven months now, the mediation platform in Jeddah, led by the US, Saudi Arabia, and recently joined by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have been struggling to reach a ceasefire agreement between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
This war comes after a fragile transition after a popular uprising against the Bashir Islamist regime in 2018, back then the young men and women of Sudan had hopes for a prosperous future outside the shadow of Bashir’s regime. The current war did not only shatter hopes for achieving democracy in the short-term, but it also open the door for questions on the consequences of the collapse of the State in Africa’s third largest country, situated at the conjunction between North Africa, The Horn of Africa, and the Sahel. These consequences even go beyond its adjacent neighbours, fears of the outcomes of the security vacuum and its effects on migration flows and the mushrooming of militant groups loom on the horizon.
Specific objectives of the session:
- Understanding the war in Sudan and its implications on the region, Europe, and globally in the short and long term.
- Understanding and assessing interventions of transnational institutions such as AU, IGAD, EU, and the UN in the crisis.
- The way forward and how European partners and the broader international community can assist the endeavours of Sudanese civilian actors.
This event is open to the EUI community. To attend, please register (indicating if you will join in presence or online).
Hamid Khalafallah: is an EUI Young African Leaders Program (YALP) Alumnus, a Sudanese researcher, a policy analyst, and a PhD Student at the University of Manchester. Hamid is a former non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, focusing on inclusive governance and mobilization in Sudan. He is also a program officer for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), supporting Sudan's democratic transition. Hamid has been active with various civil resistance groups in Sudan, promoting democracy and advocating for human rights.
Jawhratelkmal Kanu: is a Young African Leaders Program (YALP) Fellow at EUI and a Program Officer at the US Institute of Peace. Jawhara has directly overseen and participated in the formation of multiple youth groups, women's rights networks, and local initiatives, which have and are contributing to shaping the political scene in Sudan. She also serves as a context analyst, an organiser, and a mobiliser of groups and networks supporting democratic efforts in the region.