Western Equatoria state holds first development partners meeting after referendum exercise

January 25, 2011 (YAMBIO) – The government of Western Equatoria state (WES) held its first development partners meeting with international and indigenous organisations in the state on 25 January 2011 since the referendum.

The meeting was chaired by the governor of the state, Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro who briefed development partners on the security situation in the state, which appears to be relatively calm.

During the meeting the partners shared their work plans and achievements in WES as from December 2010 to date.

The UN Office for Coordination on Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) has urged the state government hold a humanitarian coordination forum in order “to discuss with the partners both the gaps and challenges being faced in the state.”

Ruger Kahwa, coordinator for UN OCHA in WES disclosed that “the major problem faced by the UN agency is the difficulty in assembling the returnees for assessment once they leave for their final destination in the areas of origin (Preferred settlement).”

Kahwa said they were in discussion with Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) in order to assess the number of returnees at the way station in Yambio upon arrival, to verify the exact numbers of returnees in the state.

He pointed out that WES has received about 780 returnees from the north of Sudan.

Earlier UN OCHA raised a concern that “about 80% of the population in Yambio claim to be Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the number is still increasing.”

Meanwhile the team leader of the partners, Peace Ngoga said, “They have discussed and plan to address the issue of food aid in the state.”

Ngoga said that the WFP will implement, “food for work, food for service etc as the next plan to reduce total dependency on humanitarian aid by the IDPs.”

For over five years WES has been facing a dire humanitarian catastrophe, purportedly caused by the atrocities of Ugandan rebels, the Lord’s Resistance Army.

Bakosoro assured the NGOs that he will make sure the security of the state is brought “to normal, to enable aid agencies to implement their projects in the communities.”

He pointed out that during his tour to the ten counties of the state, he found that “the major problems faced by the communities are: access to clean water, feeder roads, and education and health centres.”

The governor called upon the partners to readjust their work plans especially after the official results of the referendum.

Bakosoro said the state government will have better coordination with the developing partners, saying that “all means” would be used combat LRA atrocities.

He stated that “if South Sudan is declared an independent country as widely anticipated more support will be needed from international organisations, especially in areas of capacity building and human resource development.”

The governor appealed to the aid agencies to map areas of intervention to avoid “duplication of service in one area.”

Bakosoro added that the state government is ready “to create an environment conducive for all the international organisations in the state for better service delivery to the communities of Western Equatoria.”

The governor also noted that, “more returnees from the neighbouring countries will start to come back home after the referendum results, hence there is a need to have tentative emergency plans.”

This is the second partners meeting being held by the current elected government after 2010 April’s general elections.

(ST)