Forum: Markets as lifelines: Strengthening our response to the Sudan crisis

How can we build robust evidence about how markets function differently during armed conflict? What are some of the recommendations on how to work in markets - especially during conflict?

These were some of the questions underpinning a hybrid, closed-door forum SPARC convened with colleagues from Mercy Corps and the Cash Consortium of Sudan in Nairobi on June 12.

Focusing on upcoming SPARC evidence on ‘Market monitoring and localised research in a context of extreme conflict: learning from Darfur’ and ‘The war economy in Darfur: distorting trade and fuelling conflict’, Dan Hudner, Senior researcher – Resilience and Market Systems at Mercy Corps, Margie Buchanan-Smith, humanitarian policy researcher, and Youssif El-Tayeb, Executive Director at the Darfur Development and Reconstruction Agency, joined 116 policymakers, researchers, members of the private sector and donors for a series of frank discussions where they shared evidence and examples of best practice, and challenged assumptions. This included:

• Sharing findings from market analyses and assessments conducted in Sudan, as well as innovative approaches and methodologies to effective market data collection and analysis in conflict settings.
• Highlighting best practices of market-based approaches in conflict affected areas to increase the reach, scale and overall efficiency of the response to the Sudan crisis, and how to ensure this is conflict sensitive.
• Targeted ways to shape the international response to the crisis in Sudan by promoting dialogue and experience sharing between researchers, practitioners, private sector actors and donors/policymakers, and articulating recommendations on how to move toward a conflict-sensitive, market-driven response in Sudan.

The success of the forum led to:

• A follow-up closed door donor meeting on June 26 to discuss the recommendations that came out of the event and to find actionable steps to implement them.
• A series of follow-up discussions in private with several donors who are expressing increasing interest in supporting markets in regions like Darfur.

Download the post-event report below.