Sudan, South Sudan, and Darfur What Everyone Needs to Know®

For thirty years Sudan has been a country in crisis, wracked by near-constant warfare and ethnic cleansing campaigns. Controversy between the northern and southern regions, stemming from deep cultural and religious differences, continues to persist even after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement granted autonomy to the southern region in 2005. The discovery of oil--some geologists think that Sudan straddles the greatest untapped oil reserves in the world--only exacerbated the existing rift between northern and southern Sudan, and exploitation efforts have had wide-ranging implications for regional and international politics. And yet in the midst of this turmoil, Sudan now stands at an historic crossroads. On July 9, 2011, South Sudan became an independent nation. Six years after the peace agreement that ended the Second Sudanese Civil War, more than 3.85 million people participated in national elections to decide on the fate of the country; 99 percent voted for secession. Former presidential envoy Andrew Natsios is perfectly positioned to provide a crucial introduction to this country at a pivotal moment in its history. Focusing on the events of the last 25 years, Natsios reveals the origins of the conflict between northern and southern Sudan and provides insight into the complicated politics of this violent nation. In a lively and engaging short-answer format, Natsios gives readers a clear view of Sudan's past as well as an honest look to the future. Despite the celebrations that occurred throughout South Sudan following its independence, Natsios notes that tension remains on both sides. Issues of citizenship, security, oil management, and wealth sharing all remain unresolved. Human rights issues, particularly surrounding the ongoing violence in Darfur, demand solutions that have yet to come. Providing a wealth of information that will orient and educate readers, Natsios offers readers a timely introduction to Sudan as it stands on the brink of historic transformation.

Andrew S. Natsios served as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development from 2001 to 2005, where he was appointed as Special Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan. He also served as Special Envoy to Sudan from October 2006 to December 2007. He is currently Executive Professor at the George H.W. Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A and M University and a Brent Scowcroft Fellow. Natsios is the author of two previous books, U.S. Foreign Policy and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and The Great North Korean Famine.