The Carter Center - Strategic Direction and Advance Services in Sudan

Our Role

In January 2011, Jasculca Terman and Associates (JT) was retained by the Carter Center to provide strategic direction, advance services and manage event logistics for President Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn’s two week visit to Sudan in conjunction with the Center’s observation of the referendum for independence of southern Sudan.

The Challenge

The Carter Center planned to deploy more than 100 observers across Sudan and overseas voting locations to assess the referendum process and observe polling, counting and tabulation. The organization’s objectives were to provide an impartial assessment of the overall quality of the referendum process, promote an inclusive process for all southern Sudanese, and demonstrate international interest in Sudan’s referendum. President and Mrs. Carter were to join this group of observers and travel to polling locations around Sudan to assist in this effort. The Carter Center looked to JT to assist in the development of programs and events to ensure that these overseas missions achieved their intended goals in a productive and cost-effective manner.

The Solution

JT managed all pre-trip advance and provided strategic guidance in the selection of polling locations. Through research, JT determined which site locations would potentially be most suitable for the Carters to visit based on demographics and number of registered voters per polling site. Based on research results, the team chose a variety of locations, many of which were located in the south, and began to plan the movements.

Once an outline of scheduled events was provided from the Carter Center, JT took over and began piecing together the rest of the logistical puzzle to ensure a safe and successful trip for President Carter and the former first lady. JT mapped and routed the travel time between all polling locations and after physically "running the routes," the team integrated each site visit into the agenda accordingly. Along with site visits, JT managed all media interview logistics and scheduling, as well as managed all coordination for the events and meetings scheduled with local government officials, referendum authorities and observer groups. While on-site,  JT also coordinated the daily schedules of other observation delegation members, including former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, former Tanzania Prime Minister Joseph Warioba and Dr. John Hardman, Carter Center president and CEO. From arranging ground transportation for all participants, to orchestrating press conferences and managing other in-country logistics such as meetings, lodging accommodations and meals, JT handled all trip logistics.

JT events staff arrived in Sudan ahead of the Carters, and stationed themselves in two cities -- Khartoum in the north, and Juba in the south. Upon arrival, the Carters settled at the Burj Hotel in Khartoum where President Carter attended meetings with local government officials and hosted a roundtable discussion coordinated by JT with the observation delegation and other international leaders. Next, the Carters traveled south for the elections and were met by JT staff already positioned in Juba. With JT staff already in place, the transition for the President and his wife was safe, comfortable and effortless -- an essential part of any advance efforts implemented by the JT team. Based out of the US Consulate in Juba, the Carters began to visit polling sites, monitoring the election process at each and asking key questions of the poll workers and voters. Here they again held meetings with local southern Sudan officials and other local and international election observers. Also, throughout this planning process, JT worked closely with the United State Secret Service to secure all sites and coordinate all movements around Sudan.

The Results

During this history-making trip, the Carters visited approximately 15 election polling sites and met with domestic and international observer groups including members of the international and diplomatic community, such as the UN mission, National Election Commission, and U.S. Special Envoy as well as key political leaders such as President Bashir, former South African President Thabo Mbeki and First Vice President of Sudan and President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir. JT’s oversight and management of all press-related events in both northern and southern Sudan also helped the Carter Center secure both international and national media coverage including CNN International.