The Face of Truth: Sudan… Deforestation and Environmental Challenges in the Post-War Era

Ibrahim Shglawi

The Green Belt in Khartoum State represents one of the strategic environmental projects established over past decades to confront the challenges of desertification and unregulated urban expansion.

This initiative dates back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, within the framework of a national program aimed at restoring vegetation cover and preserving biodiversity in Sudan, supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The Green Belt surrounding Khartoum was a key element in the system of urban environmental sustainability and securing natural resources. However, the current conditions resulting from the war have destroyed these achievements.

The war that erupted in our country and in Khartoum and its surroundings did not only result in human and material losses but also affected the environmental fabric, which is a fundamental pillar for the stability of urban life and sustainable development.

The Green Belt witnessed complete tree cutting due to the urgent need for fuel in the absence of traditional energy sources, especially gas. This reality reflects the intertwining of security, economic, and environmental crises in the Sudanese scene, where environmental degradation becomes an inevitable result of state disintegration and the absence of control over essential resources.

The Higher Council for Environment and Urban and Rural Promotion in Khartoum State was among the first institutions to document the scale of destruction, announcing an urgent rehabilitation plan that includes protecting lands from encroachments, operating irrigation systems, and providing high-quality seedlings for reforestation.

These initiatives, despite their importance, fall within rescue attempts during an exceptional moment, reflecting the fragility of administrative and institutional frameworks that failed to respond proactively to a persistent environmental crisis.

In general, the environment in Sudan—and especially in Khartoum—was not an absolute priority in pre-war development policies. This reveals a gap between official orientations and the complex reality, which suffers from multiple intersections between political instability, economic pressures, and climate change.

In this context, the statements of the President of the Sovereignty Council, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, gain significant importance. In his speech during the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in November 2024 in Baku, he stated that Sudan is committed to implementing the Paris Agreement and places climate adaptation at the core of its development programs.

These positions reflect a growing awareness of the need for comprehensive environmental action that goes hand in hand with efforts to restore political and economic stability.

At the same time, they present implementation challenges in a complex internal reality that requires rebuilding state institutions and enhancing their capacity to manage environmental resources effectively and sustainably.

From this standpoint, it becomes necessary that the next phase of governance in Sudan—led by the Government of Hope—reflects a comprehensive strategic vision that considers the environment as an integral part of building the new state.

Reforestation and the protection of natural resources require clear political commitment that reflects a new relationship between the state, society, and the environment, and aligns with the international commitments announced by Sudan. No developmental or political project can succeed unless it is based on a balanced and healthy environment that ensures food and water security and enhances quality of life.

Environmental recovery, under the current circumstances, remains one of the key drivers of stability and sustainability—not only because it addresses the degradation of natural resources but also because it reduces social and political risks associated with environmental decline and resource conflicts. The more capable the state is of providing a sustainable environmental framework, the more it can build community trust and support paths of peace and development.

Despite the devastation and neglect that has affected Sudan’s environment, it remains a strategic opportunity for recovery and building a sustainable future. This transformation requires concerted efforts from the government, citizens, regional and international partners, through supporting the transition to a green economy, activating laws and policies, providing alternative energy in peripheral and rural areas, and intensifying cooperation. Time no longer allows for further delay, and the responsibility is both historic and shared. Everyone must play their part.

In light of these facts, as we see it from #The_Face_of_Truth, the challenges of deforestation and the degradation of the Green Belt around Khartoum serve as a true reflection of the national condition, which both the government, civil society, and international partners must deeply understand and work together to formulate solutions that go beyond emergency responses toward building an integrated environmental system that supports sustainable development and protects the future of upcoming generations in support of security and peace.

Wishing you health and well-being.

Saturday, August 16, 2025

Shglawi55@gmail.com