USAID/OTI Sudan Field Report
January 2005
Program Description
OTI works to link ongoing peace processes, at the local and national level, to initiatives that promote increased participation of southern Sudanese in their governing structures. The four main objectives of the OTI southern Sudan program are to: support the emergence of responsive, effective, and inclusive civil authorities; restore the conditions of peace within and among communities through support of opportunities for peaceful dialogue; assist in the emergence of an empowered and active civil society; and, increase access to quality, independent information.
OTI's implementing partners are PACT and Educational Development Center (EDC). PACT manages the Southern Sudan Transition Initiative (SSTI), which is a two-year small grants program that focuses on promoting and supporting good governance, local-level peace initiatives, the development of civil society and an informative and balanced media. EDC has established the Sudan Radio Service which is a short-wave radio station that transmits six hours of programming daily on current events, civic education, health and culture in nine languages.
Country Situation
Formal Peace Signing in Kenya – In Nairobi, dozens of heads of states attended the formal signing ceremony of a comprehensive peace agreement between the SPLM and the Sudanese government. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell attended the event and urged both parties to work towards a successful implementation of the agreement. He also warned Sudan that improved U.S. relations depended on a resolution to the crisis in Darfur.
Bashir Visits Southern Garrison Towns – Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir went on a tour of several southern Sudanese towns to celebrate the signing of the comprehensive peace treaty with the SPLM. He traveled to the garrison towns of Juba, Malakal and Torit, where thousands of people flocked to celebrate with him. According to an AP report, Bashir stated, "Our ultimate goal is a united Sudan, which will not be built by war but by peace and development."
SPLM Ratifies Peace Agreement – The SPLM unanimously ratified the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) at a meeting of the National Leadership Council in Rumbek. In addition to reviewing and approving the CPA, the Council is discussing the formation of the government of Southern Sudan. The SPLM has recently announced Rumbek as the provisional capital of southern Sudan. SPLM plans to operate from Rumbek until Khartoum withdraws from the larger southern town of Juba, slated to become the capital of the south for a six-year period of autonomy followed by a referendum on secession. Several UN agencies and international NGOs are already based in Rumbek.
UN Plans to Deploy Peacekeeping Force – The U.N.'s envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk, has indicated the Security Council will likely adopt a resolution authorizing a large-scale peacekeeping mission in mid-February. The 7,000 - 10,000 troops will be stationed in the eastern city of Kassala. The SPLM has indicted some discomfort with offers from Malaysia and China to contribute to the peace-keeping force. SPLM officials have accused both countries, which have considerable oil interests in Sudan, of being closely aligned to the Khartoum government.
USAID/OTI Highlights
A. Narrative Summary
With the signing of the CPA, the real transition period for southern Sudan began in January. The focus of the southern Sudanese leadership, international organizations and donors has been on ensuring a smooth transition in this critical period. One of the key concerns of many is the danger of a proliferation of local-level conflicts now that the major north/south conflict has ended. The SSTI's January grants focused on consolidated or expanding gains made through grassroots-based peace and reconciliation processes.
A number of grants provided opportunities for cross-line ethnic dialogue in the Transitional Areas and Bahr El Ghazal. These conferences will bring together key tribal/ethnic groups to discuss issues related to IDP returns, conflict resolution/rule of law and local governance. With the signing of the CPA, the transition areas will be governed in an intricate power-sharing agreement with both northern and southern parties. It is critical that the local communities are informed and begin to develop common priorities.
One the key challenges in planning for an expected upsurge in IDPs returns to southern Sudan is access to clean, potable water. In January, OTI continued to collaborate with USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) in its efforts to expand and improve water points in the region. Two grants were signed with local organizations in Upper Nile and Bahr El Ghazal to support community water management efforts. Using training materials developed through previous OTI-supported water management projects in other regions, the groups will train local community members in borehole rehabilitation and maintenance. Through OTI assistance, communities have established procedures related to water management. Groups who have been trained have gone on to train additional members of the community and as a result, key messages on water sanitation and management have been disseminated far and wide.
The OTI-supported Sudan Radio Service (SRS) broadcast special programming to cover the signing of the CPA at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi. Additional programs in a variety of Sudanese languages were produced to outline the details and implications of the CPA. The SRS staff carried out several workshops to introduce the radio to communities in Upper Nile and Bahr El Ghazal. The team held question and answer sessions and distributed publicity materials. In Yei and Rumbek there were much larger marketing campaigns that included sports tournaments, music concerts and cultural dances. In Yei town, several thousand residents gathered at the public square to participate in the events. A local SPLM official, David Lokong'a, praised SRS on its informative broadcasts and urged the expansion of programming in governance and conflict resolution as southern Sudan makes the transition to self-rule.
B. Grants Activity Summary
| Promote emergence of responsive, effective and inclusive civil authorities. |
|
|
27 |
$1,188,551 |
| Provide opportunities for peaceful dialogue within and among communities. |
4 |
$ 28,242 |
49 |
$2,216,587 |
| Promote the emergence of an empowered and an active civil society. |
4 |
$123,400 |
48 |
$1,400,773 |
| Increase availability of quality, independent information. |
1 |
$ 38,500 |
33 |
$4,696,334 |
| Total |
9 |
$190,142 |
157 |
$9,502,245 |
C. Indicator of Success
In December 2004, OTI issued a grant to the Nuba Information Center for Community Empowerment (NICE) for the production and circulation of a weekly newsletter in the Nuba Mountains. Within weeks, The Blowing Horn newsletter began circulation and was eagerly received by the community. The newsletter covers local stories of interest and cross-line issues such as ethnic relations, IDP movements, and the peace process. The Blowing Horn team has quickly established excellent rapport with civil authorities and NGOs working in the area. As a result, the journalists have been invited to all significant meetings and ceremonies organized by NGOs and CSOs that have had an important impact in the region. With invites from civil authorities from both the GOS and SPLM sides to cover events, it is clear that the newsletter is seen as impartial and independent. The Blowing Horn has so impressed officials from the Joint Military Commission (JMC), a body set up to monitor cease-fire violations on both sides, that the JMC expressed interest in facilitating internet access to the paper. Other organizations such as UNDP have shown interest in supporting the paper through bulk subscriptions and special educational supplements.
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
- Preparation for OTI's Program Performance review
- TDY of OTI/DC M&E specialist Mary Stewart
- Program strategy session for future OTI programming in southern Sudan
For further information, please contact:
In Washington, D.C: Nhelly Saleh, Sudan Program Manager, Tel: (202) 712-0795, nsaleh@usaid.gov
|
