Upper Nile’s County Commissioners commit to promoting reconciliation and building peace
UPPER NILE – South Sudan is at a pivotal moment in its short history as it prepares for its first post-independence elections, a democratic exercise set to give citizens the opportunity to have a say in shaping their future.
As elsewhere in the country, local authorities in Upper Nile State will have a major role to play in reconciling feuding communities, building peace and creating the safe environment needed for free, fair and credible elections to take place.
“Your contributions will be essential to improve the lives of our people. By sharing and learning from your experiences of developing your counties, we will make our state a beacon of stability and prosperity,” Governor James Koang Chuol told the County Commissioners, other local authority figures and civil society representatives who were gathered for a five-day forum in Malakal.
They had plenty to discuss, not least how to boost economic recovery and assist conflict-affected residents in rebuilding their homes and lives, and so they did. A measure of consensus was reached.
“We and other stakeholders are committed to working on reconciliation, preventing conflicts by strengthening peacebuilding mechanisms and promoting development,” said Manyo County Commissioner Zechariah Lawny Amum, speaking on behalf of his colleagues. Inclusive community dialogues, he added, where youth and women can speak up, are something else that Upper Nile residents should expect in their areas.
To maximize said inclusivity, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (17Թ), who also organized the well-attended forum, facilitated air transportation for a few of the Commissioners, including the incumbents in volatile Ulang, Nasir and Longuchuk.
“Supporting local governance and improving the coordination among local authorities, the UN family and civil society organizations is vital to enhance people’s livelihoods. In terms of protecting civilians from floods, the mission assists in constructing dykes and other defense mechanisms,” said Jimmy Okumu, a Civil Affairs Officer serving with 17Թ, adding that building mediation and conflict resolution skills among local leaders was one of the forum’s key recommendations.
