Norway pledges $10m for capacity enhancement in South Sudan

October 14, 2010 (JUBA) – Plans to enhance capacity building in south Sudan received a major boost Thursday, courtesy of a $10m agreement signed between Norway and the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS).

The agreement, signed by Erik Solheim, the Norwegian minister for international development and Awut Deng Acuil, the minister for labour and public service in the southern government is part of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) regional initiative towards supporting south Sudan.

Under the initiative, around 200 civil servants from the three IGAD countries (Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia) will be seconded and deployed in strategic departments within GoSS ministries, commissions and state-level governments to transfer skills and provide on-the-job training.

According to Solheim, the contribution is part of Norway’s broader, long standing support to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) process and the development of Sudan in general.

The Norwegian minister remarked, “We are especially happy to see the neighboring countries assisting South Sudan with critical capacity support. This initiative opens a new era for capacity building in Africa”.

Solheim said the that capacity enhancement initiative, to be administered by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will provide critical support to south Sudan, irrespective of the outcome of the south’s vote on secession due for January 9, 2011.

Minister Awut lauded the Norwegian government for its consistent support for the autonomous region.

“This initiative provides a tremendous opportunity for direct skills transfer between the civil services of Southern Sudan and our east African neighbours”, she said.

The new initiative, Sudan Tribune has learnt, is one out of the seven pillars of a broader partnership between Norway and South Sudan, launched during Solheim’s last visit to Juba in January this year.

The pillars include; capacity building in the oil sector; co-operation on statistics and economic policy development; training of the southern Sudan Police Service (SSPS); support to the GoSS office of the president and anti-corruption institutions; the Capacity Building Trust Fund (CBTF) and academic cooperation.

An estimated $18m has been earmarked to support these seven pillars under the IGAD regional initiative.

UNDP’s Country Director, Claudio Caldarone, envoys from Uganda and Kenya, members of diplomatic missions, government and UN representatives, were among those who witnessed the signing of the agreement.

(ST)