International Diplomacy and Multilateral Pressure Essential to Resolving the Conflict

Washington DC – USA*Engage and the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today expressed support for a resolution introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Ranking Member Richard Lugar (R-IN), which would put increased multilateral pressure on the government in Khartoum and further involve the international community in helping the people of Darfur to secure peace.

“We applaud the dedication and leadership of Senators Biden and Lugar for introducing and building unanimous support for legislation that will allow the United States and the rest of the international community to respond to the crisis in Darfur in a truly effective way,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch. “While many state and national lawmakers have turned to unilateral or local divestment campaigns as a means to affect change in Sudan, these strategies do very little to actually help the people of Darfur. The United States and our allies should focus efforts instead on the multilateral approach outlined by the Senators.”

The resolution calls on the United States and our international allies to supply materials and equipment necessary to complete a successful peacekeeping mission. In addition, the legislation includes provisions that pave the way for the development of a comprehensive peace agreement to be reached through high-level diplomatic talks. The Biden-Lugar resolution also calls on the international community to impose multilateral sanctions if the government in Khartoum does not keep its word on commitments made.

 “Senators Biden and Lugar have it exactly right – uniting the international community around a plan of action is the way to effect change in Darfur,” said USA*Engage Director Jake Colvin. “We thank the Senators for their thoughtful, internationalist approach to conflict resolution.”

USA*Engage (www.usaengage.org) is a coalition of small and large businesses, agriculture groups and trade associations working to seek alternatives to the proliferation of unilateral U.S. foreign policy sanctions and to promote the benefits of U.S. engagement abroad. Established in 1997 and organized under the National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org), USA*Engage leads a campaign to inform policy-makers, opinion-leaders, and the public about the counterproductive nature of unilateral sanctions, the importance of exports and overseas investment for American competitiveness and jobs, and the role of American companies in promoting human rights and democracy world wide.

The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.