The Atlantic Council published in March 2018 an issue brief titled "Sudan: Soft Power, Cultural Engagement, and National Security" by Tim Carney and Mary Carlin Yates.
As part of a program to improve US-Sudan relations, the authors comment that the reforms necessary to drive real change--improvements in governance, rule of law, human rights, and political participation--are well known and must remain a centerpiece of US-Sudan engagement. They should not, however, take a back seat to narrow counterterrorism concerns.