UN announces 100 million SSP to address insecurity in Unity state

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

August 31, 2013 (BENTIU) – The deputy special representative of the secretary-general (DSRSG), Toby Lanzer, on Thursday announced the UN had allocated 100 million South Sudanese pounds (SSP) to programs in the southern area of Unity state aimed at promoting stability, security and connectivity between communities.

The funds, which come under the umbrella of the South Sudan Recovery Fund (SSRF), will be distributed to counties within the Wunlit region to help ease some of the devastation brought on my ongoing insecurity as a result of cattle raiding.

Consultations were carried out in July in Unity state’s Payinjiar, Mayiandit, Leer and Koch counties to determine how to move forward with the implementation of the SSRF, which is now in its fourth round of funding.

Lanzer said the SSRF had selected to allocate the funds to southern Unity state due to poor infrastructure in the area and the difficult circumstances currently faced by communities in the region.

“We do realise the southern part of Unity state is challenging and is not an easy part of South Sudan, that is actually exactly why we are here. We are here because working in the toughest places with the community that are most marginalised is really what this fund is all about”, said Lanzer.

The DSRSG said the programs in the region will target unrest and insecurity that continue to hamper the four counties along their common border, with the aim to create “secure environments for local communities to live and to thrive”.

Lanzer said the lack of infrastructure and heavy rain in the region had made humanitarian work difficult.

He called on the government to take responsibility and ownership of issues affecting the region.

Unity state deputy governor Mabek Land De Mading has welcomed the SSRF steering committee’s decision to allocate funds for the development of marginalised areas in Wunlit southern counties.

“We recognise that in the southern Wunlit areas the insecurity runs across the state borders. [The] solution to this insecurity also lies across the state border and we look forward to working with our neighbours toward civilising southern Wunlit and building peace among the communities”, said De Mading.

Countries such as the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom have committed to work with the United Nations to support the SSFR, which was established in 2008 to bridge the ‘recovery gap’ in the transition from humanitarian to development assistance.

(ST)