South Sudan, UN sign development cooperation framework
November 17, 2022 (JUBA) – The Government of South Sudan on Wednesday signed the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) to move the country from humanitarian to development assistance.
President Salva Kiir said the framework would relieve him from being blamed for being unaccountable.
“All of you will be my witnesses should there be any shortfall about what we agree on and this relieves me from all the accusations because the NGO community pushes everything to the government and say that billions of dollars have been paid to South Sudan but they are not seen,” he said.
For his part, the head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom said the sustainable cooperation framework details the commitment of UN agencies in terms of programs across peace, humanitarian, and development dimensions.
“It is in line with the national development strategy and the revitalized peace agreement and comes at a time when there is a new momentum following the adoption of the roadmap and the focus on our efforts to help build durable peace at local and national levels,” he explained.
Haysom urged the government to invest in peace for development in a country with natural resources.
“South Sudan has huge development and economic potential in agriculture, livestock, renewable energy, tourism, wildlife, trade, mining, water, culture,” he stressed.
The UN humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, Sarah Beysolow Nyanti said the government and the UN should work collaboratively.
“We need to work together to pursue development in the youngest republic on the continent,” said Nyanti.
She added, “This is the vision of today, the spirit with which we came and I am very grateful to the government for its commitment.”
The UNSDCF, a framework comprehensively detailing the UN Country Teams’ collective effort to contribute to national development priorities in South Sudan for the period 2023-2025, was developed through a detailed consultation process that included the government line ministries, private sector, civil society, academia, research institutions, women and youth, among others.
(ST)