Rationale: The Need for Centre of Federalism
Sudan is a multicultural, multi religious and diverse country and the federal system has been introduced with a view to managing the diverse communities and to decentralize power and resources to the state and local government level. As has been indicated in several studies, the crisis of the Sudan state for the most part of the 20th century is very muc
h related to the central government's choice of a prescriptive nation-state model that centralized the meager resources at the center and that failed to grant political space to diversity. The 1998 federal system is an attempt to break from this centrist tradition and is designed to serve as a means for conflict resolution. Since 2005, the country has experienced a new wave of changes in the operations of the political system as it endeavors and its attempt to include the values that the federal Constitution upholds and endeavors to promote. In addition to this huge transformation, there are outstanding challenges facing the Sudan federal system, among others, include:
Low level of understanding of the fundamental principles of federal democracy at all government tiers in general and at the local government level in particular;
Low level of democratic practices in the structures of state governments and political parties;
High degree of disparity among the state governments in their economic, social and political experience and development, which may, in turn, leads to social injustice and conflict, if they are not addressed timely;
Shortage of competent/ skilled manpower to effect the operation of federal institutions in the legislative, executive and judicial bodies at federal state, states and local levels;
Low level of inter-governmental relations among state governments, which possibly hamper in fostering common interests and solidarity among each other; and
Absence of a centre for research, training and resources on issues of federalism in Sudan.
2. Objectives
Understanding the above challenges, the FRCC was established in May 2008 to meet the increased demand for qualified professionals at the federal, state, local government and in the higher learning institutions. The main objectives of the Centre are to:
contribute to the strengthening of the federal system in Sudan by conducting quality research and consultancy in the fields of federalism, multiculturalism, constitutionalism, human rights, International Humanitarian Law, Child rights, Women rights, and Criminal Justice;
Promoting, through research and teaching the values of unity in diversity,
assisting in strengthening the fundamental principles of the Sudan federalism;
initiating and conduct interdisciplinary researches and disseminate knowledge and information by publishing articles and research papers that would promote the understanding and good practice of federalism;
creating linkage between research and policy formulation by improving knowledge and capacity of policy makers, and legislators on complex issues of federalism in Sudan;
providing advisory and consultancy services to the mainstream federal institutions such as the Ministry of Federal Affairs, the National Legislature, State and local Councils;
serving as a think-tank in the area of federalism for various national and international beneficiaries; and
Contributing to the growing international academic interest in federal studies.
