Lifeline at Risk: Supporting Markets through Cash in Sudan

Lifeline at Risk: Supporting Markets through Cash in Sudan
Nearly one year into the conflict that plunged Sudan into a humanitarian catastrophe, the international community is facing the humbling realization that the response has so far failed to match the severity and scale of people’s needs. In a context of rampant underfunding and severe access constraints, ensuring that the response achieves as much reach, impact, and resilience as possible is essential. Cash programming offers a great opportunity to support people and markets across Sudan, thus reducing humanitarian needs, including severe levels of food insecurity, and supporting the essential businesses people rely on during this crisis. Yet cash assistance has so far been underutilized due, in part, to lack of coordination capacity and false assumptions around market functionality in the country. So, what does impact look like when we invest in cash programming, and how can we take advantage of the opportunity it presents for people and markets in Sudan?

A panel of expert will discuss these questions, and share their experiences funding, implementing, and receiving cash assistance in Sudan. This will be followed by a brief Q&A with the audience.

Speakers

Sibongani Kayola, Sudan Country Director, Mercy Corps
William Carter, Sudan Country Director, Norwegian Refugee Council
Stefan Bumbacher, Head of Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) Expert Group, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
Sudanese market trader (TBC)

Moderator

Dennis Owano, Deputy Regional Representative – East and Southern Africa, CALP Network