Challenges Facing Sudan in Combating Organized Crime and Social Issues

Sudan is facing numerous challenges in its efforts to combat organized crime and address other social issues. The country’s judicial system, security forces, economic environment, civil society, cybersecurity, and journalism landscape all require attention and reform.

Judicial System: A Subservient Institution

• Lack of Independence: The judicial system in Sudan is subservient to either the executive branch or security forces, making it difficult for judges to produce independent rulings.
• Political Interference: Judicial appointments are made by members of the ruling party, and judges who fail to support the state can be easily removed.

Security Forces: A Threat to Civilians

• Abuse of Power: The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have undertaken operations for crowd control and law enforcement under the transitional government, leading to the arbitrary detention of civilians and political activists.
• Lack of Accountability: There is a lack of accountability within security forces, which perpetuates human rights abuses.

Organized Crime: A Growing Concern

• Limited Resources: Sudanese authorities lack the necessary resources to confront organized crime networks, which often involve pro-government militias engaged in smuggling and trafficking activities.
• Corruption: The country’s economic environment is challenging, with a largely informal economy, poor governance, rigid labor markets, and a lack of rule of law hindering economic diversification.

Economic Environment: A Barrier to Growth

• Informal Economy: Sudan has a largely informal economy, which hinders economic diversification and creates opportunities for corruption.
• Poor Governance: The country’s governance is poor, with rigid labor markets and a lack of rule of law perpetuating inequality.

Civil Society and Social Protection: A Need for Reform

• Lack of Protections: Sudan falls short of meeting minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in terms of sentencing mildness, holding traffickers accountable, and protecting victims.
• Inadequate Infrastructure: The government’s existing shelters are in dire need of refurbishment, and there is a lack of trained mental health professionals to provide care to victims.

Cybersecurity: A Growing Concern

• Technical Measures: Sudan meets the minimum requirements in cyber technical measures but has weaknesses in cybersecurity cooperative measures at the national, regional, and international levels.
• Vulnerabilities: The country’s reliance on outdated technology and lack of investment in cybersecurity infrastructure creates vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers.

Journalism and Media Freedom: A Threat to Democracy

• Surveillance and Monitoring: Journalists face permanent surveillance, electronic monitoring, and the threat of violence, which has led to fatalities in certain instances.
• Censorship: The government exercises censorship over the media, limiting freedom of expression and access to information.

These challenges highlight the need for Sudan to address its systemic issues, including improving its judicial system, strengthening security forces, combating organized crime, and promoting economic diversification. Additionally, the government should prioritize the protection of vulnerable populations, improve cybersecurity measures, and ensure freedom of the press.