Top experts in the field of democracy and Sudanese affairs, and U.S. and Sudanese officials participated in a panel discussion yesterday on Sudan’s political future and the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

The participants included Timothy R. Shortley, senior representative on Sudan and director of the Sudan Program Group within the U.S. government; Khalid Musa Dafalla, counselor in the Embassy of Sudan to the United States; David Buom Choat, public relations and congressional affairs officer for the Government of Southern Sudan Mission to the United States; Susan D. Page, regional director for Southern and East Africa at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs; Paul D. Williams associate professor and deputy director of Security Policy Studies program in the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University; and Almami Cyllah, IFES regional director for Africa.

The discussion focused on the challenges in implementing the CPA, which ended two decades of civil war between the north and the south of Sudan in 2005. Among other topics, the panelists discussed the demarcation of the border, the release of the national census and the 2011 referendum for southern independence. The experts also discussed how Darfur and the recent International Criminal Court's (ICC) indictments of President al-Bashir will affect the CPA process.

The event was hosted by the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University.