President Bashar al-Assad's regime’s sudden defeat marked a surprising conclusion to the 13-year civil war in Syria. The incoming Trump Administration should undertake robust diplomacy at the highest levels to prevent further violence in Syria and the region, incentivize HTS and other potential spoilers to support a democratic transition, scale up conflict-sensitive humanitarian assistance, and deploy programs that prioritize stabilization, conflict and violent extremism prevention, and peacebuilding, in line with the principles of the Global Fragility Act (GFA).
Read MoreCentering peacebuilding and conflict prevention in U.S. foreign policy and assistance is not just the right thing for the incoming Trump Administration to do—it is the smart, strategically sound, and cost-effective thing to do. Every dollar invested in conflict prevention saves $16 that would otherwise be spent on expensive humanitarian or security responses. Peacebuilding’s inherent multisectoral, coordinated, and crosscutting approach results in more informed, evidence-based, and fit-for-purpose interventions that address the underlying drivers of violent conflict, violence, and insecurity. The previous Trump Administration made important strides by signing into law the Global Fragility Act (GFA) in 2019, along with other key laws that elevate conflict prevention and peacebuilding in U.S. foreign policy and assistance. By picking back up this mantle, the incoming Trump Administration has an opportunity to reduce and prevent violent conflict, violence, and fragility, stabilize rampant insecurity, and build sustainable peace at a time of record-breaking global conflict. However, to do so, the Trump Administration must ensure robust implementation of their laws and strategies, which requires changing the way the U.S. does business and prioritizing conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Such an approach can help the U.S. outmaneuver its geopolitical competitors, save American taxpayer money, and build a cadre of long-term allies and partners to advance U.S. interests and security globally.
Read MoreDear Secretary Blinken,
We, the undersigned organizations, write with deep concern about the ongoing and increasing atrocities in Sudan, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and potentially genocide. In December 2023, we welcomed your determination that members of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had committed war crimes, and that the RSF and allied militias committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing since the conflict broke out in April 2023. Now, in light of the alarming developments over the last year, we urge you to issue an updated atrocity determination for Sudan and take concrete actions to protect civilians and prevent further atrocities in line with the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act, the U.S. Strategy to Anticipate, Prevent, and Respond to Atrocities, the Women, Peace, and Security Act, the U.S. Strategy and Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, and other U.S. prevention-oriented laws and policies. An updated atrocity determination should include war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by both the SAF and RSF, as well as assess whether any of the crimes committed to-date constitute genocide.
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