Where the U.S. Went Wrong in Sudan

In mid-2019, after the ouster of Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir, political analysts hoped that Washington might be able to help Sudan chart a path to democracy. That hope was short-lived. In late 2021, Sudan’s generals staged a coup, and after 18 months of controversial U.S. policies attempting to revive the country’s democratic transition, armed conflict erupted again in Khartoum last month.

“Maybe we couldn’t have prevented a conflict,” one U.S. official told FP’s Robbie Gramer. “But it’s like we didn’t even try and beyond that just emboldened [the warring generals] by making repeated empty threats and never following through.”

Today we’re featuring our best reporting and essays on how Sudan got here—and the role that the United States, and other Western powers, have played in what many fear will become a full-blown civil war.—Chloe Hadavas

Foreign Policy illustration/Getty Images

How the U.S. Fumbled Sudan’s Hopes for Democracy

The East African country, once a beacon for change, now faces civil war, FP’s Robbie Gramer writes.

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (center), the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces and de facto leader of Sudan, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (left), his deputy, attend a ceremony in Khartoum, Sudan, on Dec. 5, 2022. Mahmoud Hjaj/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

In Sudan, U.S. Policies Paved the Way for War

A misguided effort to integrate the RSF into the Sudanese Armed Forces led to a tragic but predictable conflict, Justin Lynch writes.

Sudanese protesters wave the national flag during a demonstration calling for civilian rule and demanding justice for those killed in crackdowns in the capital of Khartoum on Jan. 24.Stringer/AFP via Getty Images

America’s Silence on Sudan Is Deafening

Washington has sidelined the country’s long-term interests in favor of short-term gains, Hala al-Karib writes.

A Sudanese man waves his country’s flag as he stands in front of a barricaded street during protests in the capital Khartoum to mark the second anniversary of the revolt that toppled the previous government, on Dec. 19, 2020. ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP via Getty Images

How the U.N. and the West Failed Sudan

Self-delusion and negligence stopped governments and aid agencies from facilitating a genuine and lasting transition to democracy, Justin Lynch writes.

Sudanese protesters block roads and burn tires as they take the streets after political parties called for a general strike and protests following a military takeover of the civilian government in Khartoum, Sudan, on Oct. 26, 2021.Mahmoud Hjaj/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The Battle for Khartoum Exposes Waning U.S. Influence

If any outside power could help Sudan chart a path to democracy, it should have been the United States, Colum Lynch and FP’s Robbie Gramer write.