In April 2019, Sudan’s longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir was ousted from power through a peaceful civilian revolution. The military immediately assumed power and found themselves quickly at odds with the same protesters who called for al-Bashir’s removal. After a brutal crackdown followed by continuous civil unrest, the military relinquished power in favor of the Civilian Led Transitional Government (CLTG) on August 17, 2019. Currently, the CLTG remains in power and has three years to put in place comprehensive reforms while battling a number of other issues, including economic collapse, a lack of resources, endemic corruption, and the deep state (in reference to a secret manipulation of the government by a reduced number of people, primarily from political and military spheres).
The TNS project is designed to support the CLTG through short-term, high-impact grants that will help the CLTG demonstrate progress in implementing key political transition processes to set the stage for sustainable peace in Sudan. In order to support the CLTG, TNS is working directly with the government, civil society groups, and key independent media actors to provide capacity building, funding, and equipment as needed. Through this work, USAID/OTI hopes to help build public confidence in the CLTG.
In only a few months, TNS has provided equipment and technical expertise to multiple government ministries in Sudan, helped run advocacy campaigns, and begun to conduct crucial analytical perception surveys in various sectors. TNS has put particular emphasis on supporting independent media through capacity building and equipment, and throughout the pandemic, TNS has helped the Sudanese Broadcasting Company create and deliver messaging to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
