Sudanese Development Initiative (SUDIA)
Partner Snapshot
Partner
Sudanese Development Initiative (SUDIA)
Location
Red Sea State, Sudan
Category
- Community Livelihoods
- Endangered Species
- Protected Area Management
- Wildlife Conservation
Urgent Appeals
None currently
Date Founded
1996
Website
Partner Qualifications
About SUDIA
SUDIA’s conservation work centers on the Red Sea marine and coastal ecosystem of Dungonab Bay–Mukkawar Island Marine National Park, Sudan’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site, with marine turtles as a current biodiversity monitoring priority. What sets SUDIA apart is its integrated approach: combining protected area management and biodiversity conservation with community resilience, civil society strengthening, and peacebuilding.
On the ground, SUDIA works alongside Wildlife Conservation Forces (WCF), its formal MPA co-management partner, research institutions, and resource-dependent coastal communities. Rather than treating communities as passive beneficiaries, SUDIA involves them as active conservation partners through initiatives such as community-based tourism and sustainable livelihood programs. A key achievement has been establishing a five-year co-management partnership to strengthen governance of one of the Red Sea’s most globally significant marine sites, replacing previous ad hoc management approaches with a more coordinated, long-term framework.
Their Challenges
The most direct threat to Dungonab Bay–Mukkawar Island Marine National Park is unsustainable resource use, particularly fishing pressure on a globally important reef ecosystem and marine turtle habitat. This challenge is compounded by limited protected area management capacity, making it difficult to consistently monitor and enforce sustainable resource use.
These pressures are closely linked to the needs of surrounding coastal communities, whose livelihoods depend on marine resources and who have limited economic alternatives. Without stronger conservation management and sustainable livelihood opportunities, continued overfishing could degrade the reef and turtle habitats that make the park globally significant while undermining the long-term economic security of the communities that depend on them.
Their Approach
SUDIA’s approach is built around long-term local presence and collaboration rather than short-term conservation projects. Working alongside Wildlife Conservation Forces, Red Sea University’s Institute of Marine Research, government partners, and coastal communities, SUDIA combines biodiversity monitoring with stronger protected area governance and sustainable livelihood initiatives.
Field teams conduct surveys and monitoring of marine turtles and mangroves, while community-based programs such as savings groups, ecotourism, and community funds help reduce pressure on natural resources. By connecting research, local knowledge, and decision-making, SUDIA helps ensure that conservation data contributes directly to management plans and long-term protection of the park.
Why They Need Your Help
Donor support will help SUDIA and its partners conduct critical marine turtle surveys at Dungonab Bay–Mukkawar Island Marine National Park, including nesting beach assessments, in-water surveys, and community-supported data collection.
Funding will support field logistics, boat access, GPS and tagging equipment, and participation from local fishers and community guides who contribute valuable knowledge and assistance. These surveys will help fill major gaps in understanding marine turtle populations along Sudan’s Red Sea coast and provide the evidence needed to strengthen future conservation planning.
Long-term funding is essential because a single survey only provides a snapshot in time. Consistent monitoring over multiple years will allow SUDIA and its partners to track changes, improve protected area management, and build a stronger foundation for protecting the park’s wildlife and the communities that depend on it.