In Search of a Common Transatlantic ‘Whole-of-Government’ Approach to Peace-Building Processes in Africa: The Case of Sudan

The rationale for this paper emerges from understanding the vital importance of peace-building processes, which provide a new start for many fragile and conflict-ridden African states, and from the need for coherent donor engagement strategies, which would help effectively address pressing issues in these states. However, the broadening of the peace-building agenda during the past two decades made such engagements increasingly challenging in terms of their complex and medium- to long-term nature, and the necessary levels of financial and other assistance, which exposed the need for greater intra-government cooperation (e.g., Whole-of-Government (WOG) approach) on one hand and enhanced donor cooperation on the other. Since the transatlantic donors (e.g., the United States, the United Kingdom, and the EU) are seen as the most active and influential supporters of peace-building processes on the African continent, their endeavors to pursue the WOG approach in this regard represent a particular focus of this paper.

Consequently, two main research questions are addressed in this paper: To what extent has the WOG approach been mainstreamed in peacebuilding policies of transatlantic donors? And, what impact have moves toward the increased intra-government coordination had on transatlantic donor cooperation in terms of challenges and opportunities?