VIABLE SUPPORT TO TRANSITION AND STABILITY (VISTAS) Q1 FY 2019 QUARTERLY REPORT OCTOBER 1 – DECEMBER 31, 2018 January 21, 2019 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by AECOM. VIABLE SUPPORT TO TRANSITION AND STABILITY (VISTAS) Q1 FY 2019 QUARTERLY REPORT OCTOBER 1– DECEMBER 31, 2018 Contract No. AID-668-C-13-00004 Submitted to: USAID South Sudan Prepared by: AECOM International Development Prepared for: Office of Transition and Conflict Mitigation (OTCM), USAID South Sudan Mission American Embassy Juba, South Sudan DISCLAIMER: The authors’ views expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. Q1 FY 2019 Quarterly Report | Viable Support to Transition and Stability (VISTAS) i TABLE OF CONTENTS Acronyms .................................................................................................................................... iii I. Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 1 Ii. Political And Security Landscape ................................................................................... 2 Iii. Program Strategy ............................................................................................................ 3 Iv. Program Highlights ......................................................................................................... 5 To Increase Space and Tools to Manage Conflict and Tensions ........................................................... 5 To Build Cross-Line Interdependency to Promote Peaceful Coexistence ....................................... 12 To Promote a More Informed Community ............................................................................................. 14 To Engage Communities in Trauma Awareness to Lay the Foundation for Healing And Reconciliation .................................................................................................................................................. 15 Program Challenges and Lessons Learned ............................................................................................... 17 V. Impact ............................................................................................................................. 18 Vi. Administration and Logistics ........................................................................................ 28 HR & Administration ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Finances ............................................................................................................................................................. 28 Logistics ............................................................................................................................................................. 29 Procurement .................................................................................................................................................... 29 Annex A: Financial Information (For Internal Usaid Use Only) .................................................. 30 Annex B: Schedule of Upcoming Events ................................................................................. 31 Annex C: Region-Specific Information .................................................................................... 32 23 Completed Activities Worth $1.5 M - FY19 Q1 .............................................................................. 32 20 Cleared Activities Worth $1.4 M - FY19 Q1 .................................................................................... 32 Annex D: Progress on Indicator Targets ................................................................................ 33 Annex E-1: Success Story ......................................................................................................... 39 Annex E-2: Success Story ......................................................................................................... 40 Q1 FY 2019 Quarterly Report | Viable Support to Transition and Stability (VISTAS) ii ACRONYMS ACDF-SS Action for Children Development Foundation South Sudan AMA Assistance Mission for Africa AMELP Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan CAD Civil Affairs Division CCN Cooperating Country National CEPO Community Empowerment for Progress Organization CTSAMM Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism DRI Dialogue Research Initiative FAA Fixed Amount Awards HR Human Resources HRD Human Rights Documentation IDP Internally Displaced Person IGAD Intergovernmental Authority on Development IO In-opposition IOM International Organization for Migration IRC International Rescue Committee JBPDC Joint Border Peace Development Committee LOE Level of Effort MACAHWA Mading Aweil Community Animal Health Workers Association M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MS Morning Star NAS National Salvation Front NBG Northern Bahr el Ghazal NGO Non-Government Organization NSI National Social Insurance POC Protection of Civilians Site PV Photovoltaic System (solar power) R-ARCSS Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South RRC Sudan SPLA Relief and Rehabilitation Commission SSNDA Sudan People’s Liberation Army SSP South Sudanese National Democratic Alliance SSPDF South Sudanese Pound STTA South Sudan Peoples Defense Force (new name for SPLA) SSTO Short-term Technical Assistance TAP South Sudan Theater Organization UN Transition Activities Pool UNDSS United Nations UNHAS United Nations Department for Safety and Security UNMISS UN Humanitarian Air Service VISTAS United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan WFP Viable Support to Transition and Stability World Food Programme Q1 FY 2019 Quarterly Report | Viable Support to Transition and Stability (VISTAS) iii I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On November 3, 2018, a series of peace celebrations were held in Juba, igniting a SUMMARY OF VISTAS PROGRAMMING cautious yet optimistic view of the current peace agreement and prompting IO forces Total # of Activities Cleared in FY19 Q1 20 to meet with their government counterparts in each of VISTAS’ “Roving locations” – Average Grant Size 69,141 Wau, Yei, Torit and Yambio on December 12th. As a result, there have been Total Value of Activities Cleared in FY19 Q1 1,388,282 agreements on free movement throughout these areas for anyone without a weapon or Program Funds Disbursed FY19 Q1 2,477,860.35 uniform, and the agreements are being respected at this time. This opens up new Program Funds Disbursed to Date 39,077,015 opportunities for VISTAS partners as they now have increased scope to move outside of town and to engage with more rural communities who have been affected by conflict. The optimistic mood has also spread to POCs with peaceful gatherings, for example, in Malakal and Juba. However, most residents have no plans for moving out of the POCs in the near future, with ongoing apprehension about security concerns, lack of homes to return to, and ongoing service provision in the POC, all providing a strong motivation to remain for the time being. In general, the humanitarian, economic, security, human rights, and political situation in the country has not significantly improved as there is still no real investment coming into the country and many donors are still reluctant to consider projects apart from emergency relief. On December 14, 2018, the US imposed sanctions on three individuals whose actions have the purpose or effect of undermining peace, stability and security in South Sudan. The US also announced that they are reviewing its assistance to South Sudan to make sure that aid does not prolong the conflict. In December 2018, the South Sudanese Pound (SSP) was at 240 against the US Dollar (USD). There have been media outlets allegedly reporting that South Sudan and South Africa are in collaboration to reopen some of the Unity State oil fields and build a new oil refinery with a pipeline to Mombasa, but so far this is only on paper and no real work has commenced. While the VISTAS 10-month extension period started and new grants were being developed and approved in the final quarter of last fiscal year, core implementation of grant activities began in Q1 2019, and the remaining 20 activities ($1.4 million) of the total 91 extension activities ($7.6 million) were approved. Of these 91 extension period activities, 23 ($1.5 million) were completed or closed and 68 ($6.1 million) are ongoing. These activities are taking place throughout all of VISTAS regions of operation and address the following programmatic clusters: Supporting Local Peace Actors/Initiatives (26%); Inter- and Intra-communal Peace Dialogues (18%); Media/providing access to accurate information (15%); Civil Society and HRD (15%); and Morning Star/trauma awareness (26%). The Operations team was busy procuring and transporting in-kind grants items to approximately 20 field sites, with 64 tons moved via chartered planes, 11 tons of material by river, and 10 tons by road. VISTAS continued its focus on sustainability and capacity building as it integrated sustainment workshops and relevant skills building into activities with grantees across all programming clusters. In addition, VISTAS made great inroads integrating trauma awareness with activities supporting local peace initiatives