US holds one million USD programme for MPs of marginalized areas
September 17, 2007 (KAMPALA) –The US Administration is committing a total of $1 million in training programmes towards the upliftment of Southern Sudan, weekly The East African Business Week said.
26 members of parliament from South Kordofan state of Sudan are in Uganda attending a two and a half month diploma programme at the International Law Institute-African Centre for Legal Excellence (ILI-ACLE).
The training support funding from the American government is channeled through the United States Agency for Internatonal Development (USAID). The CPA, signed in 2005, gave special attention to Abyei, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states, collectively called the Three Areas.
The parliamentarians comprise of both the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
The training programme that started over a year ago focusses on empowering parliamentarians from the Sudan and it is scheduled to end this year.
The programme, on legislative processes and parliamentary systems started on August 13 and will run upto October 26, 2007. The training is expected to provide the parliamentarians with a set of basic legislative tools that will help them pass legislation more effectively and participate equally to help guide the administration of state parliament and resolve policy issues crucial to the success of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
“It allows African policy makers and individuals to be on equal footing on issues that affect us on the global scale like world trade, drafting laws, e-commerce and intellectual property rights. These are issues that affect the globe but Africa lags behind,” said Mr Swithin Munyantwali, ILI executive director-Uganda.
Southern Sudan, a region recovering from the pangs of armed conflict also sits on huge natural resources that are yet to be fully exploited.
As a result of the conflict over the years, the development of human resources as well as infrastructure were eroded. This programme is part of an effort to strengthen and support the skills of South Kordofan State parliamentarians in fulfilling their roles in developing and maintaining a cohesive negotiating strategy for policy goals in their state.
It is hoped that, due to the increased skills of the parliamentarians, they will benefit from the improved legislative administration and decreased potential for conflict. Earlier this year, ILI – ACLE provided a similar programme to the members of parliament from the Blue Nile State.
For the last 55 years, ILI has been providing customised training expertise world wide.In Uganda, it was established 10 years ago with support of the world Bank.
(East African Business Week)