South Sudan steps up efforts to achieve immediate priorities before July 9

March 25, 2011 (JUBA) – The emerging independent state of South Sudan has stepped up efforts in fixing pressing priorities which it needs to achieve within the next remaining three months of transition to statehood by July 9.

This came as a result of the overwhelming vote for secession from the North in the self-determination’s referendum conducted in January 2011 by the people of Southern Sudan in accordance with the peace deal signed in 2005 between the former rebel movement in the South, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Khartoum.

In a press release issued on Thursday by the Press Officer in the Southern Sudan 2011 Taskforce, James Gatdet Dak, who is in charge of press unit in the taskforce’s technical secretariat, a meeting held on Wednesday by the taskforce reviewed the priorities which were divided into categories.

While identifying post-July priorities as a separate category, the taskforce has reviewed and identified what it calls “core functions” which require intensive work and follow up in order to achieve them before July. “These include issues to do with international relations, rule of law, governance, economy and natural resources, service delivery and security and intelligence,” the statement said.

Also preparations for the transition to statehood in July include reviewing the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), which is set to expire in July.

“Putting in place a mechanism for building political consensus, finalizing the process of reviewing the interim constitution, strategizing for statehood recognition and identifying and producing symbols for the nation, etc,” are among the identified core functions.

The taskforce also harmonizes the core functions and other post-July priorities with any similar priority issues which might have been addressed under the development plan’s working group which jointly involves the ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and international partners in the region.

Southern Sudan 2011 Taskforce is a body formed in February 2010 by the President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, under the chairmanship of his deputy, Riek Machar Teny, to prepare the region for the conduct of the referendum, post-referendum arrangements as well as on post-independence governance.

Its membership includes GoSS ministers, representatives from political parties, civil society organizations and faith-based groups. It has branches in all the ten states of South Sudan under the supervision of the state governors.

(ST)