US Government’s Support to South Sudan Judicial System

By Peter Lokale Nakimangole

JUBA, 26 May 2016 [Gurtong] – The United States Government has awarded a $4.2 million grant to strengthen the South Sudanese judicial system.

The grant awarded to the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) will strengthen the College of Law (COL) in South Sudan's Juba through assistance with the curriculum, support for teachers, supplies for the library, and resources for a legal aid clinic.

“The United States is proud to support the College of Law through our partnership with IDLO, an organisation renowned for its expertise in promoting the rule of law,” said US Ambassador to South Sudan Molly Phee at the opening of a 3-day symposium Tuesday hosted by the College of Law at the University of Juba in South Sudan.

“The Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan calls on the Transitional Government of National Unity to initiate a process led and owned by the people to draft a permanent constitution. I hope during the Transitional Period you will fully embrace this responsibility and privilege," said Ambassador Phee in a statement issued Tuesday.

Decades of civil war and neglect left South Sudan’s legal, judicial, legislative and law enforcement institutions without the human resources necessary to fulfill their mandates.

The COL is making an essential contribution towards the development of a strong foundation in the nascent legal development of the country.
 
With support from IDLO, the COL has organised the symposium to provide a platform for dialogue on important legal, political and human rights topics.

The COL is promoting greater awareness and dialogue on contemporary human rights issues in South Sudan.

“No constitutional government exists without protection of human rights. Human rights is a topical issue in South Sudan as in the region and the continent. Therefore, a learning institution like the College of Law at University of Juba should disseminate knowledge on human rights for the realization of dignity and equality,” said the Dean of the College of Law, El-Faki Chol Lual on the eve of the symposium.

Legal experts from Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and South Sudan will engage with national policymakers and leading legal practitioners in South Sudan at the meeting.

The symposium is significant for the COL as it seeks to re-establish itself as an institution since it relocated from Khartoum to Juba in 2011.

The IDLO has partnered with the COL since 2011 to build capacity to provide relevant legal education