UNICEF, RedR UK support capacity building in S. Sudan
April 12 2013 (JUBA) – The UN Children Fund (UNICEF) and RedR UK have conducted a series of capacity building workshops on disaster management and emergency response in Malakal, the Upper Nile state capital.
Similar trainings, UNICEF said in statement, will also be replicated in Wau, the Western Bahr el Ghazal state capital as well as Juba.
It was attended by senior officials from the Government of South Sudan’s Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management (MoHADM) staff.
“The workshops supported by UNICEF and RedR UK aims to build the capacities of primary national actors who are responsible for the coordination of humanitarian assistance and disaster management in South Sudan to effectively manage and respond to emergencies in South Sudan,” the statement says.
Elizabeth Quaye, UNICEF’s officer-in-charge said the organisation was closely working with RedR UK to build the capacity of government staff to respond effectively to disasters and emergencies in the country, in a bid to improve their timeliness, efficiency and expertise in the coordination of disaster management and emergency response operations at national and field levels.
The training, targeting state RRC Directors, County secretaries and Juba-based officials reportedly aimed at improving the skills and knowledge of officials on humanitarian principles, humanitarian coordination, humanitarian reporting and monitoring and evaluation systems.
“The Government of South Sudan is committed to providing humanitarian assistance to citizens affected by emergencies and these trainings will strengthen the capacity of our staff to coordinate activities and to respond effectively to the needs of vulnerable populations during emergencies,” said Peter Lam Both, RRC chairperson.
Last year, UNICEF in cooperation with RedR UK, also supported the South Sudan government, through various trainings in areas such as education, nutrition, water and sanitation.
(ST)