VIABLE SUPPORT TO TRANSITION AND STABILITY (VISTAS) Q3 FY 2017 QUARTERLY REPORT APRIL 1– JUNE 30, 2017 JUNE 2017 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) Q2 FY 2017 QUARTERLY REPORT APRIL 1 – JUNE 30, 2017 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. Q3 FY 2017 Quarterly Report | Viable Support to Transition and Stability (VISTAS) i TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... 1 II. Political And Security Landscape .................................................................................... 2 National Political and Security Landscape ..................................................................................................... 2 Political & Security Landscape in VISTAS Regional Offices ...................................................................... 3 III. Program Strategy.............................................................................................................. 6 IV. Program Highlights ........................................................................................................... 8 To Increase Space and Tools to Manage Conflict and Tensions ............................................................. 8 To Promote a More Informed Community ............................................................................................... 11 To Engage Communities in Trauma Awareness to Lay the Foundation for Healing and Reconciliation .................................................................................................................................................... 13 To Build Cross-Line Interdepency to Promote Peaceful Coexistence ................................................ 14 V. Impact (Monitoring & Evaluation) ................................................................................. 16 VI. Administration and Logistics ......................................................................................... 18 Human Resources............................................................................................................................................. 18 Finance ................................................................................................................................................................. 18 Logistics ............................................................................................................................................................... 18 Annex A: Financial Information (For Internal USAID Use Only) .......................................... 19 Annex B: Schedule of Upcoming Events ................................................................................... 20 Annex C: Region-Specific Information ...................................................................................... 23 Annex D: Progress on Indicator Targets .................................................................................. 24 Annex E: Success Story .............................................................................................................. 25 Q3 FY 2017 Quarterly Report | Viable Support to Transition and Stability (VISTAS) ii I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VISTAS substantially increased the implementation rate of the Transition Activities Pool (TAP) during the third quarter (Q3) of FY17, despite continuation of political, security and economic challenges. The quarter saw a diminishing importance of the Agreement on Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) but a surge of attention directed to the National Dialogue by President Kiir. Fighting declined in parts of the Equatorias, Upper Nile and Unity States, but insecurity remained. Security in Juba remained stable, and VISTAS international staff operated normally both within Juba and in the field. The President removed Paul Malong as SPLA Chief of Staff in May with additional shake ups within the military. Q3 saw continued weakening of the economy with the South Sudanese Pound (SSP) devaluing to 150:1 against the US Dollar (USD), from 140:1 at the start of the quarter (the official bank rate stands at 135:1). During Q3, VISTAS cleared 71 SUMMARY OF VISTAS PROGRAMMING activities valued at $5.8 million and Total # of Activities Cleared in FY17 Q3 71 disbursed over $3 million on Average Grant Size $83,564 programming. Total Value of Activities Cleared in FY17 Q3 $5,833,105 Program Funds Disbursed FY17 Q3 $3,030,992 In NBeG, the team supported the Program Funds Disbursed To Date $ 25,739,802 border migration conferences and agreements and began the process for capacity building of the Joint Border Peace Development Committee. Stability continued, as the region witnessed another largely peaceful cattle migration from Sudan into South Sudan over the dry season even though the border with Sudan remained officially closed and the devaluation of the SSP caused prices to remain high in the market. This led to sustained food insecurity and a continued exodus of citizens migrating north to Sudan. In Lakes State, VISTAS supported a large livestock migration conference in Mvolo in partnership with UNMISS Civil Affairs Division, bringing in the leaders of the five affected states of Yirol West, Western Lakes, Gok, Amadi and Terekeka . The participants successfully executed an agreement to support peaceful migration. The President’s reappointment of Matur Chut as Governor seemed to backfire as widespread insecurity has broken out in the Dinka Agar populated areas of the region. In Unity, VISTAS team successfully partnered with IOM in the Bentiu PoC to construct a Community Resource Center. A library of books is being provided through a follow-on grant. The team also completed the compound for The Africa Mission Assistance (AMA), an organization working on peace building in South Unity for the last 15 years. The political and security situation in Unity State remained largely calm. In Upper Nile, the program carried out a large Bentiu, Nasir, Fangak, and Akobo (BNFA) Nuer Association conference in Pagak, which brought over 400 Nuer leaders from those areas to address and resolve the divisions between all the Nuer communities is Greater Upper Nile. The government remained in control of Malakal town and carried out offensives on the west bank to overtake Wau Shilluk and Kodok resulting in displacement of large Shilluk populations. Q3 FY 2017 Quarterly Report | Viable Support to Transition and Stability (VISTAS) 1 In Jonglei, VISTAS brought together 60 Dinka and Nuer community representatives, including 18 women in Duk Padiet, to carry out a series of coordinated workshops on trade, customary law, and inter-ethnic violence along the ethnically divided areas in the region. Armed fighting in western Akobo (Watt area) led to a temporary cessation of activities in eastern Akobo, including relocation of staff in our Akobo office for a few weeks in May. Although a few projects were delayed, work has since resumed and the office is fully operational. In Juba, the team continued to focus on support to key media groups such as Radio Tamazuj, Eye Radio, and Juba Monitor, increasing access to accurate information to an estimated 1 million listeners in South Sudan (Eye Radio estimates). In addition, VISTAS sponsored peace events in Juba, such as the Hagana Festival organized by the Ana Taban group. VISTAS carried out the bulk of its infrastructure grants during the Q3 dry season months of April – June. Access to the sites is difficult once the rains begin in earnest from July onward. These projects - worth over $2 million - included Traditional Authority Courts, Women’s Centers, Youth Centers, and a boat dock. During Q3, 709 participants attended the Morning Star Trauma Awareness sessions, of which 397 were women. Participants of the activities described the trauma awareness programming as timely and necessary for South Sudan. Ten new master trainers were recruited and commenced training in June 2017, bringing the total to 23. Including four female master trainers. Each of the regional offices will have at least two Moring Star trainers as VISTAS further integrates trauma awareness and training into its Transition Activities Pool. II. POLITICAL AND SECURITY LANDSCAPE NATIONAL POLITICAL AND SECURITY LANDSCAPE During the third quarter of the FY17 the political landscape remained fairly stable. On the Military front the big move was the removal of Paul Malong (PM) as Chief of General Staff, which led to several days of high tension. PM then tried to leave Juba and allegedly wanted to head for his home area of Aweil. He was stopped at Yirol and after several days of negotiation he returned to Juba where he still remains. The national dialogue gained some traction after its initial issues when several leading opposition figures turned down positions on the committee, the most notable being Rebecca de Garang. The committee finally meet and set up sub committees to work in specific areas. One interesting point here was that President Kiir removed himself