EU tells South Sudan MPs to act tough on corruption
July 22, 2011 (JUBA) – The fight against corruption in South Sudan will only be meaningful if the country’s parliamentarians adopt a tough and comprehensive approach towards ending it, a delegation from the European Union (EU) advised the new nation.
Corruption is a major problem in South Sudan, which became independent on July 9 after a comprehensive vote for secession in a referendum agreed as part of a 2005 peace deal.
Led by Patrice Tirolien, the French Social Democrat parliamentarian, the delegation from the development committee in the EU parliament said all grants allocated to Africa’s 54th nation will all have to be accounted for in a proper and transparent manner.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, Niccolò Rinaldi, the Italian Liberal Democrat said: “The European Union (EU) must apply the lessons learned in other areas where coordination among donors and optimum use of available funds are paramount.”
“We call on the South Sudanese to focus on the fight against corruption and on local empowerment to avoid a dependency culture, and also to create a sovereign fund for oil revenues with strict criteria for their use for development,” he added.
During their three-day visit, the EU legislators also visited Rumbek, the Lakes State capital to obtain a first hand assessment of the real needs of the citizens, in addition to holding discussions with UN agencies and other EU representatives within South Sudan.
Citing promotion of human rights and democracy as fundamental principles in attaining economic development within the new country, the EU appealed to other development partners to join hands and assist South Sudan in its recovery efforts.
“We are conscious that the country is facing great challenges and that the youngest state of the world will need all the support from the international community in order to become a prosperous, pacific and secure country, capable of meeting the demands of its population,” said Titolien, who spoke through a translator.
The delegation further decried the high rate of infant mortality; one of the much-hyped Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), saying the region still lags behind in achieving UN-initiated goals expected to be realized by 2015.
Meanwhile an estimated €200m has been earmarked by the EU to support the implementation South Sudan’s forthcoming “2011-13 Development Plan”, targeting projects such as education, health, agriculture, food security and democratic governance.
The EU delegation to Sudan is due to present its report for discussion to the regional body’s parliament in Brussels, ahead of the long-awaited donor conference scheduled for October later this year.
Over the past four years, the EU reportedly contributed nearly €160m to support water management projects funded by the Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) of the European Commission.
(ST)
Mi diit
EU tells South Sudan MPs to act tough on corruption
eu,
the european union (eu) should closely monitor corruption practices in south sudan this time. we don’t trust our leaders in handling our resources any more because they proved to be corrupt for the last six years and let us down. we need international community to monitor them for us and directly supervise the implementation of the projects they support all over south sudan.
our members of parliament care less about the nation and have proved to be money makers instead of law makers in the parliament. they have been used by the executive as rubber stamps and reduced to mere messengers instead of scrutinizers and overseers.
they simply bow down to the corrupt executive instead of the executive bowing down to them in respect. don’t trust them (mps) they will not do any thing about the corruption. actually they have instead involved in the corruption itself.
Marco A. Wek
EU tells South Sudan MPs to act tough on corruption
Thank you Mi Diit, this is the type of comments we as south Sudanese people need. We are sickened by tribal comments that do not serve the interest of our people. Corruption in south Sudan has tribe, all or most all are corrupt and need to unite against this shameful acts just like we united in January of this year.
I hope Dinka Dominated SPLA will follow the wise comments of his brother Mi Diit which for the first time became free of tribalism. Those corrupt officials need to be looked in their eyes and told they are outcasts and the number one enemy of our people.
dakin
EU tells South Sudan MPs to act tough on corruption
No Mr. Mamok Dinka Dominated Spla is trying his best to stop us from scrutinising another Mamok the baby president which is true.
There is nothing called parliament mr. Eu. Baby Mamok is the parliament, the chief justice, the head of corruption and the head of anti-corruption, and the president which is also true.
Bush
EU tells South Sudan MPs to act tough on corruption
@Marco A. Wek
You are right, Mi diit has commented today like a responsible citizen of south Sudan. I wish him better understanding and reasoning.
Ayuen deng
EU tells South Sudan MPs to act tough on corruption
its have an embrassment for the government of south sudan, because of corruption.So its agood start by EU to warn the government of Republic of South Sudan to take aserious majors in the coming government. So i politely ask my president to put more effort toward the corruption.
padiit gaga
EU tells South Sudan MPs to act tough on corruption
Good idea EU , there are lot of corruptions in southsudan including miss use of country Budgets, our foolish president used to dig the ground to hid money in it because he knows if he will put them in the bank he must be checked by secutrity.
This man is not fit to be president but to be cowboy,nothing in his mind only his cap. Being a president is not simple it need a qualify person or educated person this man was a rober when he was a rebel he still caries that acts even in the country.