30 March 2016, JUBA---The United Nations Development Programme hosted representatives from major development partners resident in South Sudan to present its 2016-2017 Country Programme Document and proposed programme portfolio. UNDP advocated for rolling out early recovery and stabilization initiatives in South Sudan as part of the assistance package to support the implementation of the peace agreement.
The delegates reviewed UNDP’s proposed programme which is centered on building more resilient communities, reinvigorating local economies, and strengthening peace and governance to help the young nation transition from crisis to recovery, stabilization and development.
“The approach of ‘relief first and development later’ is no longer tenable in the kind of complex and protracted crises we face today,” said Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, and UNDP Resident Representative to South Sudan, Eugene Owusu. “There are encouraging signs that the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity is finally gathering momentum, thereby providing opportunities for collaborative and transformative engagements to put South Sudan back on the sustainable development path,” added Owusu.
The meeting brought together representatives from the Norwegian, Dutch, Japanese, Swiss, European Union, German, French and Chinese Embassies, as well as representatives from DFID, USAID, IMF and the World Bank.
UNDP’s programme contributes to three priority areas of the 2016-2017 Interim Cooperation Framework of the United Nations Country Team namely, building more resilient communities, strengthening peace and governance, and the local economy reinvigorated. The programme will be pivotal in paving the way for medium to long term growth and helping the country to avoid a relapse into conflict and the associated large recurrent needs for humanitarian assistance.
“The conversation around bridging the gap between humanitarian and development assistance is timely and UNDP’s policy role is appreciated,” said Minister Counsellor, Head of Political Section of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of South Sudan, Philippe Coessens.
UNDP will scale up existing projects and launch new initiatives in the areas of good governance, community security and revitalising local economies through provision of policy advisory services, transitional justice, peacebuilding, entrepreneurial development, and renewable energy and climate change adaptation, among others.
UNDP’s contributions towards enhancement of civil service capacity; provision of HIV and TB treatment and livelihood support to conflict-affected and disaster-prone communities as well as strengthening of health systems and capacity of the rule of law sector were highlighted.
“[This] was a good discussion. We are interested in engaging further on UNDP’s proposed country programme,” said Gunnar Holm from the Norwegian Embassy in Juba.
Contact Information
For more information, contact the UNDP South Sudan Communications team at communications.ss@undp.org.
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