NNGOs Echo Plea For Full Participation In Service Delivery

This article was last updated on May 26, 2022

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During the recently concluded South Sudan Humanitarian Conference in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, at least five NNGO representatives were present. 

“We actually demand that NNGOs be fully involved in service delivery because they are cost effective and cheap,” said Emmanuel Douglas, Executive Director of Health Link South Sudan.  

The conference raised over US$600m but Douglas says the funds are not sufficient unless the violence ceases and access is allowed to all the needy people in South Sudan.

“If you see the US$1.2billion (raised and pledges), most of it will be going to core pipelines like delivery of food to the IDPs. And because of the challenges of access, WFP has to do food airdrop to IDPs and other displaced persons, which is the most expensive means,” Douglas said.

“This warrants us to demand both the government and the opposition to create safe corridors for delivery of these goods because if we move food by barge from Juba to Malakal, the cost is 300 times lower than a tone by air.”

National Non-Governmental Organisations Forum’s (NGO Forum) Focal Point Person, Hafis Wani weighed in, saying the international community and donors should trust the capacity of local NGOs.

“NNGOs are resilient; they have the drive, the experience and are directly affected by the conflict. So, they are willing to do anything to help resolve it,” said Wani.

Donato Ochan, Executive Director of South Sudan Older People’s Organisation praised the donors for the funds but quickly reiterated what he called the ‘’central message’’ of the Oslo conference: the need for cessation of hostilities between government and the anti-government forces.

Rita Martin, Director of Eve Organisation for Women Development reiterated the need for accountability and transparency so that funds trickle down to the needy people especially women and children. 

“I would like to emphasise the commitment of national CSOs in partnership with international organisations to work together,” she said.

“It’s important that the capacities of indigenous organisations are realised. CSOs are all over the country. There are areas where the International organisations can reach. So, in designing, implementing and monitoring (emergence response), indigenous organisations should be part and parcel.” 

Meanwhile, Henry Taban, Director of Rural Action Against Hunger (RAAH),  who gave a key note speech at the Conference on behave of CSOs, said the donors are now fatigued with the crises in Central African Republic, Syria and now Ukraine. 

He said the various clusters will have to go back and revise their budgets focusing on priorities which include health, food aid and food security, protection of conflict affected people and emergency education. 

Since the armed internal conflict broke out late last year, over a million people including farmers and pastoralists have been displaced from their homes, a situation that inhibits them from planting their own food crops, rear animals and carry out other farming activities for livelihood.  

The conflict has worsened the already precarious humanitarian situation in the country resulting from the bloody inter-communal clashes, the then David Yau Yau rebellion and the floods. Humanitarian actors need US$1.8billion but only 67% ($1.2b) has been realised in cash and pledges. 

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