Sudan needs English to build bridges between North & South

Southern Sudanese women receive skills training at the Abu Shouq internally displaced people's camp north of Darfur. (Photograph: ALBERT GONZALEZ FARRAN/AFP)
 
Last week the population of South Sudan went to the polls to decide whether to separate from the North, potentially becoming Africa's newest country. The people and politicians of the South have been building up to this moment since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed in 2005, ending decades of civil war.
The question that Sudan has been asking itself is, when faced with massive political upheaval, poverty and a shortage of basic of services, can English really make a difference? The answer, in short, is "yes". English language training is not a "quick fix" for Sudan's problems but it can encourage development, is relatively cheap and most importantly, sustainable, underpinning other capacity building projects. This is recognised at all levels of Sudanese society but is especially important in the South where the government views English as an important tool for development and future nation building.
In the North, Arabic is and will remain the primary language, coexisting with English as the international language of the internet, trade and international engagement. In 2007 the government of South Sudan took English as their official language. English, however, provides a way for the North and South to communicate when Arabic is still viewed with suspicion by the South. If the country is to hold on to the fragile peace that has held for the last five years, it is supremely important that these communication channels stay open. In Sudan, there are currently three national armies and two police forces that the British Council is working with. When we asked them what their greatest need was, their responses were unanimous: "English." Providing police and army officers with English language skills increases peacekeeping capabilities by enabling them to attend professional training, thereby improving their ability to tackle issues such as conflict prevention, terrorism and people trafficking. It also allows Sudanese officers to join multinational peacekeeping forces that use English as their medium of communication.
Despite the importance placed on English, many of the current generation of Southern Sudanese government officials, lawyers and businessmen were taught in the North in Arabic during the period of "Arabisation" and have limited English skills. This could prove a problem if the South does become independent. A separate South Sudan will have to deal with potential instability and after years of militarisation it will also need to strengthen its civil structures. The role of English in this process will be a long-term one but one that has important implications for the country's stability and prosperity.
The Southern Sudanese government, for example, is changing the old legal system that was based on Islamic law into a new English language-based legal system. Without this legal system, the rule of law will never be established. And yet many members of the judiciary do not have the language skills to implement this reform. The government has also adopted English as the language of instruction in schools despite the severe shortage of English-speaking teachers. There is therefore a need to train teachers but also to raise the English language skills among officials in the ministry of education who will be charged with reforming the sector.
But stability in Sudan like everywhere else goes beyond the government and judiciary. Regardless of the result, in post-referendum Sudan it will also be essential to encourage further foreign investment and trade. Southern Sudan is one of the most disadvantaged regions in the world with staggeringly high rates of hunger and child mortality. An independent South Sudan would come into possession of most of the country's oil reserves giving it a potential source of revenue to improve the lives of the very poorest of its citizens.
Even in today's globalised world with the rise of other languages such as Chinese, English still remains the language of business. The potential to increase trade and investment and an opportunity to align with the English speaking economies of the East African Community can only reinforce a need for English to develop economically and to engage with its neighbours.
As well as business, English can still open doors for individuals looking for education and job opportunities. There is a huge appetite for English teaching in Sudan. The British Council teaching centre there is one of the fastest growing in our network, while new services that support learners via the radio or digital technology have been enthusiastically received. While many in South Sudan regard English as a means of enabling further economic development and engaging in international dialogue, this does not dilute the crucial role that local languages still play in promoting social cohesion, economic development and preserving individual cultures. There are arguments for promoting "mother-tongue" languages in multilingual societies such as Sudan that are compelling and important. Undoubtedly these will be expanded further in the future, but right now Sudan is a country that desperately needs a way to continue talking internally. In this context English is the only language that allows the North and South to communicate and that can cut across tribal divides in the South, paving the way for future nation building.
No one is going deny that South Sudan has many serious problems, a fragile future at best, and no one is saying that English will solve these overnight. The argument is instead that those who want to learn English should be able to do so. This includes the country's decision-makers and leaders who should be supported to bring about change and reform, using English as the language of engagement, capacity-building and investment. If the country is going to hold on to stability and move forward, we must look at the reality and recognise English as a crucial tool that can cut across divides and drive long-term development.
Martin Davidson is the chief executive of the British Council