---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "John Ashworth" <[email protected]> Date: 16 Jul 2013 17:35 Subject: [sudan-john-ashworth] 'South Sudan is running a marathon, not a sprint' To: "Group" <[email protected]>
One has to hope that the international community will remind itself of these noble sentiments when the rate of change in South Sudan does not match up to a sprinter's expectations and the tendency in international circles will be to criticise rather than to support the slow pace of the marathon. John BEGIN 1. South Sudan is running a marathon, not a sprint Toby Lanzer | 09 July 2013 Two years ago today, South Sudanese around the world celebrated their country’s independence after decades of war and struggle. Today, the hope remains but reality has set in. It is going to take a long time for South Sudan to achieve its goals. Like a marathon runner, South Sudan and its international partners need to commit for the long haul. Building health services, a professional police service, and a judicial system, along with all the other institutions needed in a modern state, can seem daunting in the best of circumstances. Only one in seven children complete primary school and only 27 percent of people over 15 know how to read and write. Fifty percent of South Sudan’s civil servants lack the appropriate qualifications for their jobs. To meet the gaps in the short term, the U.N. is helping to deploy civil servants from neighboring countries across South Sudan’s ten states, transferring knowledge and skills in 19 institutions. In the long term, overcoming the capacity gap requires huge investments in education. Encouragingly, this is on the government’s agenda: the budget presented to parliament for the 2013/14 fiscal year makes it a priority. In 2013, aid agencies are planning to reach nearly 200,000 children with emergency education, helping lay the foundation for development and increased opportunity in the country’s volatile areas. South Sudan and partners are working to ensure this progress is sustainable. As long as oil continues to flow, the results of such investments should be evident in the coming decades. Similar investments by the government and its international partners in healthcare are already showing results. Relatively unencumbered by bureaucratic backlogs, South Sudan can build schools and courts which promote the participation and rights of women, establish a transparent and trusting relationship between citizens and leaders and create a political culture of equality and solidarity. We know that it is possible. One decade after independence, Timor-Leste, once among the largest peacekeeping and aid operations, is focusing squarely on long-term development. South Sudan can achieve the same, but it will take at least a generation. The country needs hard work and steady dedication and its international supporters must be steadfast and patient. The United Nations is committed to staying the course and to stand by South Sudan for as long as it needs us. When it no longer does, we will celebrate again. http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourperspective/ourperspectivearticles/2013/07/09/south-sudan-is-running-a-marathon-not-a-sprint-toby-lanzer.html END1 2. The Republic of South Sudan's Independence Day Press Statement John Kerry Secretary of State Washington, DC July 9, 2013 On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, we extend our best wishes to the people of the Republic of South Sudan on the second anniversary of your independence. I will never forget the moment I shared with the people of South Sudan as the world witnessed the birth of a new nation. I saw long lines of people waiting for hours, reveling in the privilege of voting for their freedom. When I mentioned to some voters the need to be patient and remain in line despite the delays, they said we have waited 55 years, we can wait a few more hours. Today, their wait is over and South Sudan is an independent nation. But we all know that much work remains to be done. Elections alone don’t create working democracies or provide the guarantees of good governance that free people rightfully demand. We have an obligation to do more to make sure that we’ve helped free people give birth to a lasting and successful nation. The vision that South Sudan laid out for itself two years ago requires a sustained commitment to democracy and good governance, justice and accountability, and respect for the rule of law and the human rights of all of South Sudan’s people. We support South Sudan’s efforts to institute governmental reform at all levels, resolve outstanding conflicts, promote economic growth, and ensure peace and stability. The United States remains committed to helping South Sudan build a more prosperous, inclusive, and democratic society – one that is at peace internally and with its neighbors. On the second anniversary of your nation’s independence, the journey continues and we stand ready to help support economic prosperity, democratic governance, and respect for human rights in South Sudan for years to come. http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2013/07/211623.htm END2 ______________________ John Ashworth Sudan, South Sudan Advisor [email protected] +254 725 926 297 (Kenya mobile) +211 919 695 362 (South Sudan mobile) +27 79 832 8834 (South Africa mobile) +44 750 304 1790 (UK/international) +88 216 4334 0735 (Thuraya satphone) PO Box 52002 - 00200, Nairobi, Kenya This is a personal e-mail address and the contents do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisation -- -- The content of this message does not necessarily reflect John Ashworth's views. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, John Ashworth is not the author of the content and the source is always cited. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sudan-john-ashworth" group. 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