Daniel J. Deng Email and Phone Number

When humans designed civilization, we got something wrong. Specifically, we designed it for some people to dominate others and exploit nature in cruel ways. These bad intentions created dysfunctions in the economic system, and we now suffer the consequences. Extreme inequality, rampant environmental destruction, and war are signs of planetary crisis. Various systems collapses may appear unconnected, but all stem from this desire to turn the earth into money for a few people at the expense of all others and nature. As more people become aware that our civilizational design has failed us, we hear the call for a new design. Fundamental change is possible through the power of design. Humans possess genius, and once our intentions are clear, we can design alternatives that are more ecological, equitable, and effective. We can call this yet-to-be-designed alternative "the New Possible," designed to: enable all citizens to participate easily; deliver their basic needs, operate within planetary boundaries; guarantee communities' sovereign control over the resources we all need to survive and thrive. The new system will represent a catalytic upgrade to our current capitalist system. We can start building it at a community scale, working with individual communities worldwide to co-imagine alternative forms of production and distribution that make sense to them. Once their vision is clear, interested actors with the necessary resources can co-design with them the imagined systems. We can build a community of practice committed to such systems in the long term. Such a New Possible will take diverse contributions from folks from various walks of life. Maximum learning will come from optimizing for diversity! I primarily intend this LinkedIn page for those who believe in the primary thrust of this vision. Thanks for taking interest!

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) implements the development activities of the Japanese Government across the world. As such, it is the largest bi-lateral donor combining the grant making, lending and technical cooperation mechanisms of Japanese bi-lateral assistance. In South Sudan, JICA is building basic infrastructure for economic development (bridges and roads), improving municipal management (waste management and urban water supply), developing peace through sports towards the 2020 Olympics, and formulating and implementing two comprehensive master plans with Government of South Sudan - comprehensive agriculture development master plan (CAMP) and irrigation development master plan (IDMP).

Freedom Farms is one of the few commercial farms in South Sudan. Our aim is to establish a common market of thousands of small holder farmers. Our strategy is to link them to markets, provide inputs and eliminate the logistical barriers that current prevent their growth. In this way, the success of Freedom Farms propels the success of others. Our vision is peace through economic development, starting with the production of nutritious foods.

Ch’iang Wei worked with the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining of the Republic of South Sudan and the National Oil Company in establishing a joint venture marketing subsidiary with Glencore, AG. Deng then established the agricultural division, which manages Freedom Farms – one of the first commercial agricultural operations in South Sudan.

Deng established the Strategic Planning Unit of the Abyei Area Administration supporting strategy and program development, including: Cooperation Framework for Return, Reintegration, Recovery & Development; Food Security; Water Security; Communications; Peace-building; Energy Sector Strategy; and Support to the Referendum Process. Each program was spelled out in a separate planning document.Skills developed include planning support to executive team in a fluid and unpredictable environment.

Kush Inc. has focused on support to return and reintegration of displaced peoples. Deng managed corporate level relationships with donors and implementing partners. Deng successfully developed funding relationships with foundations, governments, NGOs and private donors. Kush Inc. served as a fiscal agent for numerous programs ensuring in all cases accountability. Skills developed include management of corporate and government relations around an integrated transdisciplinary approach

Responsible for CRS/Sudan’s Submission to USAID People-to-people peacebuilding RFA. Also advanced Local Government Recovery Program for CRS Sudan. (June 2006 – August 2006)Skills developed include increased understanding of conflict mitigation programs. Deng also refined his ability to work in a technical team to produce detailed plans against strict deadlines.Managed the Local Government Recovery Program (LGRP) in the three Equatorial Regions of Sudan. The LGRP sought to build the capacity of local governments in S. Sudan and the Three Areas through 4 outputs: 1) establishment of Local Government Act, 2) infrastructural support, 3) staff training, and 4) establishment of strategic planning unit. Deng managed relationships with the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) Local Government Board. Skills developed include increased understanding of the relationship between the tiers of Government in South Sudan, the structure of local government and the challenges facing local government.Team leader in responding to USAID BRIDGE PROGRAM - a multi-year $30 million program for building capacity of local government in Southern Sudan and the three areas. Deng negotiated relationships in a consortium consisting of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), National Democratic Institute (NDI), Associates for Rural Development (ARD), Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) Center for Peace and Justice and the Kroc Institute. Deng drafted the technical plan on behalf of the Consortium, leading the strategic planning sessions and coordinating inputs from Consortium partners. Specific skills developed include increased understanding of the link between conflict and natural resource competition in Sudan.

Carried out field studies and consultations for the Brookings Institution’s (Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) project focusing on the viability of the return process. The report was submitted to the Special Representative to the UN Secretary General on Internal Displacement. (July 2005 – March 2006)

Facilitating Institute for Justice and Reconciliation’s (IJR) peace-building intervention is Sudan. (November – December 2004)

Researched for the African constitutionalism project of the US Institute for Peace (USIP), including literature review and written contributions.

Led strategic planning to restructure Catholic Relief Services – Zimbabwe operations in line with country, regional, and agency strategies. (August 2003)

Provided expert analysis on policy approaches to conflict management for the United Nations looking at the risk of ethnic conflicts after the Sudan peace agreement. (April - May 2003)

Deng designed and managed an initiative to network 8 National Justice and Peace Commissions throughout southern Africa. The coalition worked closely with international counterparts on issues of economic justice, including debt and trade. Deng also managed urban governance (i.e. civic) programs in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Deng developed the Zimbabwe country program HIV/AIDS strategy and managed a Regional Justice and Peace Initiative to build the capacity of 8 National Justice and Peace Commissions in Southern African countries - Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe - on economic justice issues, specifically structural adjustment, fair trade and debt relief. Deng developed the 2 year long Justice Case Study for the Southern Africa region looking at the impact of Title II Food Commodities on partnership relations in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. CRS launched a strategic planning process called Justice Strategy 2000,which included Country Level summits in all 100 CRS country programs. Deng was responsible for drafting one of the five visionary directions and helping to frame the CRS' strategic framework.

Deng managed Justice and Peace and HIV/AIDS programs, including working with local implementing partners to develop and maintain systems of service delivery, accountability, monitoring and evaluation, and conflict resolution. Helped develop CRS’ Africa Campaign focused on the HIV/AIDS pandemic and peace in the Sudan. Thus required taking a global analysis and reflecting it in distinct programs. Deng also managed civic education programs in South Africa focusing on civic structures within townships.

(Temporary posting after evacuation from the DRC): Responsibilities included supporting the Executive Management Team’s advocacy on Congo and Sudan.

Deng was responsible for a capacity building program for all 47 dioceses of the Democratic Republic of Congo DRC). Assisted CRS Sudan in successfully responding to USAID’s Request for Application for the Sudan Transitional Assistance to Recovery (STAR) Initiative’s Grant Making Capacity Building (GMCB) program. Worked on urban agriculture projects in Kinshasa. Deng developed and managed DRC National Justice and Peace Initiative. Worked closely with the National Justice and Peace Commission to develop a program that would build the capacity of Diocesan Justice and Peace Commissions in the 47 dioceses of Congo, including establishing them in dioceses where no structures were yet in existence. The responsibilities also included raising funds from funding sources in the U.K., Ireland, Germany and Netherlands.

Prepared the strategy for legislative lobbying and advocacy around sustainable housing and the U.S. Community Reinvestment Act in American cities. May 1997 – Nov. 1997Deng attended policy sessions in the Washington Community on all matters related to refugee and immigrant issues, and provided written and oral reports to the heads of Social Ministries and Refugee Services. Specific skills and knowledge developed include: