South Sudan calls for financial assistance and denies political defection claims
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By Ngor Arol Garang
May 19, 2011 (ABYEI) – The Government of South Sudan (GoSS) called
upon the international community to to give them more financial
assistance to help with its developmental projects at a conference in
Juba on Thursday.
The two day development plan conference kicked off in the capital of
South Sudan, Juba, in the Home and Away Hotel.
"The Government of South Sudan is committed to translating policy
statements into actions by implementing development projects in all
the ten states but lack of resources holds up efforts to implement
them ", said David Deng Athorbei, minister of finance and economic
planning.
Athorbei sais it is time the international community honours pledges
it made in the 2005 Oslo conference, where aid was earmarked for
developmental work in South Sudan.
"We have projects to be implemented in all the ten states but
resources are over-stretched by the list of priorities. This is why we
feel it is time for the international community to honour pledges made
in the Oslo conference. We need financial assistance. This is why are
holding this conference. It is a conference, from which we can
identify areas of priorities for our development plan", explained the
finance minister, in a telephone interview with Sudan Tribune from
Juba, shortly after opening the conference on Thursday.
The conference also called upon government and development partners to
monitor and evaluate implementation of various development projects.
Deng Makuac, a participant at the conference, pointed out in a
separate interview with Sudan Tribune from Juba that experiences have
shown that some development projects being executed by contractors,
particularly in remote areas, were not properly supervised.
’’It seems that some of the designated officials, either from the
government or representative from the development partners, are not
performing their duties in monitoring the use of public and other
financial resources in their respective areas.
"It is important for the local authorities from where projects are
being implemented assist the Government of South Sudan ensures
effective and efficient use of the public resources in their
respective areas,’’ said Athorbei.
’’The beneficiaries must always remember that they have responsibility
to ensure that the financial and other physical resources are used for
intended purpose and not otherwise,’’ he stressed.
Antipas Nyok, secretary general for political affairs and organisation
with the South’s governing party, the Sudan People’s Liberation
Movement (SPLM), in an interview with Sudan Tribune, also described
the development plan conference as success for his party
Nyok hailed the government for what he described as its "unquenchable
desire" to promote and support various development projects,
specifically in the security, roads, health, agriculture, education
and water sectors.
"A lot of money has been set aside for the construction of economic
roads and referral hospitals in strategic places that will accommodate
patients. Some of the roads and hospitals are in their final stages of
completion", he said.
"A lot of development projects are being implemented here [Juba] by
the Government of South Sudan because it is going to be the national
capital. So, we call upon local and foreign investors to invest in
South Sudan because there is now plenty of opportunity for them to
invest here,’’ said Nyok.
Nyok brushed aside recent media claims propagated by some opposition
politicians that some members of the SPLM had contemplated defecting
or forming a new party over allegations that they have been sidelined
and marginalized.
These senior members of the SPLM accused of contemplating defection
include Ismail Konyi, a former presidential advisor on peace and
conflict resolution; Mark Nyipuoc, a former governor of Western Bahr
el Ghazal state; Elession Ojetuk; and a former governor of Eastern
Equatoria state.
He described the allegations as “absolute lies”, and stressed that
whoever wants to know the truth about the matter should consult
relevant authorities, including the registrar of political parties.
"In my opinion, I think that is simply political fabrications aimed at
tarnishing the image of other people,’’ he explained, reiterating that
the party’s general secretariat is open for reform of the party for
promotion of democratic principle for real and pragmatic political
pluralism".
South Sudan will become independent on July 9, following a referendum
vote agreed as part of a 2005 peace deal.
(ST)
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