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Intergovernmental Authority on Development

IGAD support for the new of South About IGAD

The Intergovernmental Authority on of , , , , Development (IGAD) superseded Sudan and , resolved to the Intergovernmental Authority on expand the mandate and made a Drought and Development (IGADD) declaration to revitalise IGADD and established in 1986 by the then expand cooperation among member drought afflicted six Eastern African states. In 1995, the revitalised IGADD of Djibouti, Ethiopia, was renamed the Intergovernmental Kenya, , Sudan and Uganda. Authority on Development (IGAD). The State of Eritrea was admitted as the seventh member of the Authority IGAD welcomes the Republic of following its independence in 1993. as a new East African nation. We anticipate South Sudan Although IGADD was originally will soon be our eighth member conceived to coordinate the efforts state. The IGAD member states of member states to combat drought are committed to fostering peace and desertification, it became and integration in the Horn of increasingly apparent that the through a range of regional Authority provided a regular forum programmes aimed at food security, where leaders of the Eastern African peace, co-ordinated policies on countries were able to tackle other trade, customs and migration, and political and socioeconomic issues the promotion of the Common Cover photograph: © UNDP / in a regional context. Realising this, Market for Eastern and Southern Marcin Scuder the Heads of State and Government Africa (COMESA). Birth of a new nation

Sudan gained independence in 1956 continue to affect a large majority and immediately sunk into prolonged of the population. Basic rule of law conflict, resulting in the loss of over two is weak; there are many fractured million lives in the south alone. Then communities affected by generations came the signing of the Comprehensive of conflict; service delivery across all Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, the sectors remains totally inadequate; vote in January 2011 and and efficient, accountable and the birth of Africa’s newest nation in transparent systems for decentralized 2011. The Government of the new governance have yet to be properly Republic of South Sudan is faced with implemented. These challenges enormous challenges if it is to ensure have resulted in the Government peace, stability and access to basic having limited capabilities required services for its people. to adequately protect the citizens and deliver services. The situation Establishing momentum towards is most acute at the state and local recovery is dependent on South Sudan government levels, where governance maintaining sustained peace, security capacities are stretched thin on the and an effective public service. ground. In many places, government Photograph: © UNDP / However, serious challenges are posed institutions are non-existent, or in their Marcin Scuder by insecurity and abject poverty, which infant stage of development. design; ineffective bureaucratic Challenges facing processes; inadequate policy frame- works; lack of equipment; and lack of the public sector in information systems. The situation at state level is particularly serious due to the limited expertise available in South Sudan the State Ministries of Finance, Local Government, Legal Affairs, Police An efficient and effective civil service and Prisons, Health, Education and is a major indicator of a government Agriculture, amongst others. that is capable of meeting the needs of its people. A legitimate government All these challenges compromise the must be able to provide basic services. ability of the Government to keep An efficient and effective public sector pace with the new nation’s demands depends significantly on availability of for basic service delivery, community qualified civil servants working at all security, and poverty reduction. levels to bring services to the people in The influx of returnees from north an environment of security and respect Sudan following the successful for the rule of law. outcome of the referendum further serves to aggravate the situation. In this respect, the South Sudan This necessitates starting from a public sector has serious constraints rudimentary level, most often in an in availability of personnel in virtually environment where many parts of the all sectors. This is mainly because a are totally cut off for large parts significant number of civil servants of the year due to a lack of roads and are former soldiers who lack the other communication . education, skills and competencies necessary for an efficient public Capacity building at human resource, service. In addition, it is difficult to organizational and institutional levels get resasonable levels of productivity therefore remains an urgent priority from the existing structures. to enable South Sudan to establish its institutions and physical infra- Photograph: © UNDP / The public sector is further comp- structure and provide basic services Marcin Scuder romised by poor organizational to its citizens. their regular salaries from their home IGAD’S commitment countries, and the civil servants will also receive a living allowance whilst in South to the Government Sudan. of South Sudan Building on this initiative, the is preparing to send 1,000 civil Responding to the skills shortage and servants from the AU member states to the need for increased capacity in the further assist with the rapid development civil service, three IGAD Member ’s public service. (Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda) are deploying 200 civil servants and special- It complements other interventions ists to work in government institutions in supported by , GIZ, South Sudan. These technical experts (Public Administration are being deployed in strategic functions Leadership and Management within national ministries, commissions Academy), and the Government of and state-level local government, and Kenya Technical Cooperation, among many will work in frontline service delivery others. It also supports other ongoing in areas experiencing chronic shortages, public sector reform initiatives such such as health. as the Capacity Building Institutional and Human Resource Development The civil servants are seconded to the Project implemented by the Bank South Sudan civil service. Around 50 civil and funded by the South Sudanese servants arrived from Kenya in early June, Government and the Multi- Donor Trust and a further 100 are expected from Fund, and initiatives of the Capacity Ethiopia and Uganda in 2011. Building Trust Fund.

The IGAD Initiative has demonstrated Skills Focus: Above: the support of African nations to South Health workers (including Delegates from Sudan and has provided a road map for a surgeons, gynaecologists, nurses) the Kenyan and South Sudanese more expansive program of South-South Public Administration governments cooperation and civil service support. Economists meet at the The Norwegian Government is providing presentation Laboratory Technicians of the IGAD funds of US$10m for the initiative while Human Resource Development framework UNDP is playing a facilitating role. in , Information Technology The Kenyan, Ethiopian and Ugandan September Geologists 2010 © UNDP governments are paying the civil servants Meteorologists clinical experience and they will be Delivering services looking to you to learn skills.” to the people He added that the Kenyan medical professionals might be shocked by the lack of facilities, but that it also Many of the IGAD civil servants will shows what an impact they will have provide front-line services to the in a country where the sick generally community, especially in the of have no healthcare options. “The long health. South Sudan has a chronic period of lack of services has made shortage of medical specialists and some people think there is nothing to functional medical facilities. It is do, you just wait until you die.” estimated that only 25 percent of Minister for Labour the population has regular access to South Sudan’s Minister for Labour and Public Service, medical treatment. Women have a 1 and Public Service, Madam Awut Madam Awut in 7 chance of dying during childbirth Deng, is leading the Initiative on the – one of the worst maternal mortality Government’s side, helping to identify rates in the world. skills shortages and to facilitate recruitment and deployment of the civil The IGAD Initiative will place dozens servants. “It is a dream come true,” she of trained specialists into public said when the first batch of civil servants hospitals and health centres, including arrived. The Initiative was created nurses, laboratory technicians, in response to “a long experience of surgeons and gynaecologists. “We’re theoretical training not being translated very excited,” said the Minister for into practice,” she added. Health, Dr. Luka Monoja, speaking to the first group of health workers UNDP works closely with the World Photographs: © UNDP / who arrived in early June 2011. “We Health Organisation, UNICEF and Jenn Warren have very young doctors with limited UNFPA in facilitating this programme.

Frequently asked existing civil servants to build their capacity. Many are coming with highly questions specialized skills, such as surgeons, gynaecologists How will the civil service South Sudan. In some and geologists. positions be recruited? cases civil servants will Responsibility for re- be placed at local county How long will the civil cruitment is with the level also. servants stay for? country sending the civil It is expected that the servants, based on needs Will the civil servants have visiting civil servants will identified by Southhousing and insurance? stay for two years. Sudan. Medical insurance is part of the package provided What are the conditions Which countries will be to the civil servants. They of service? sending civil servants? will be provided with Civil servants will IGAD member states housing only if it is normal continue to receive their Ethiopia, Kenya and practice for similar regular salary, paid by Uganda have committed civil servants working their government, and to sending up to 200 civil with the government in will also receive a living servants. South Sudan to get such allowance whilst in allowances. South Sudan. This will Where will they be based? vary according to the The civil servants Are these new recruits going position and the grade of will be based in , to take jobs that could have the civil servant. working with the central been given to local people? Government, as well as in No, these positions the state capitals across will mentor and coach

Civil servants from Kenya are welcomed to South Sudan The Kenyan civil service support officers with, seated L-R: Madam Rebecca Joshua Okwaci, Undersecretary, GOSS Ministry of Labour and Public Service, Joe Feeney, Head of Office for UNDP in Southern Sudan, Mr. Stephen Lusweti, Personal Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of State for Public Service (Kenya), Madam Awut Deng Acuil, GOSS Minister of Labour and Public Service, Dr. Luka Manoja, GOSS Minister of Health. Standing third from right is Madam Margaret Mathiang, Undersecretary, Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare

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