Senator John Kerry (D-MA) reflected on his recent visit to Sudan in an op-ed in today’s Boston Herald. He outlined a host of issues that need to be addressed to bring peace to Sudan, and he rightly emphasized the interconnectedness of the various components. Despite the complexity of the challenges, Senator Kerry struck an optimistic tone about the way forward, which is encouraging coming from the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:
The visit reinforced my conviction that broad and direct engagement is the best way to promote peace in Darfur and throughout Sudan. We must start by recognizing realities on the ground. The violence of 2003 and 2004 has declined substantially, but the consequences of the genocide remain unresolved. Expanded sanctions and coercive measures against Sudan remain an option. But a new White House has given us a chance to put sustained diplomacy to the test, which strengthens the force and reach of sanctions if diplomacy fails.
Photo: Senator John Kerry and Enough co-Founder John Prendergast at a Senate round table.