Sudan Government

Ask a Sudanese citizen what troubles him these days and he might not even mention Darfur or the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against the president. To many here, it's the economy that is keeping them up nights. Sudan's once-hard-charging economy, a source of national pride over the last five years, is in danger of grinding to a halt because of plummeting oil prices. With the nation's oil-dependent budget in tatters, government employees are facing pay cuts.

Sudan's government and rebel representatives signed accords Tuesday meant to end hostilities and guarantee aid groups access to 1.6 million people uprooted by conflict in Sudan's western region of Darfur. For the first time, Sudan agreed to the creation of "no-fly" zones over Darfur, banning military flights over rebel-held territories. Rebels and African Union mediators had demanded the no-fly zones after widespread accusations that the government bombed villages.