Page 22 - The Nile Explorer Magazine 011

East Africa

A New Beginning:

South Sudan

National

Dialogue

Conference

A regional consultative meeting in session

More important is that the National National Dialogue could not replace
fter four years of grassroots
Adeliberations among South Dialogue Conference will for the first the peace agreement but should be
pursued in the spirit of the agreement, as
time bring together the three broader
Sudanese about the type of the country regions-Equatoria, Bahr-el-Ghazal and complementary.
they want, the National Dialogue Upper Nile-to share their vision of South The Steering Committee had worked
Initiative has now reached its apex. Sudan and reach a consensus. with 15 Sub-Committees based on the
South Sudanese of different walks of live For a long time, South Sudanese have old 10 states for logistical reasons-even
are converged in Juba for the National perceived themselves from the lenses of though President Kiir had created more
Dialogue Conference that started the three regions-commonly known as states at that time.
November 3 to 15, 2020. The various The Steering Committee added five
proposals that have been collected from the three pillars of South Sudan. additional Sub-Committees on Abyei,
various regions by the National Dialogue The composition of government, the Boma, the National Capital, Security,
Steering Committee with be discussed. cabinet, and various committees in and International Outreach to Refugees
This is a milestone because as it marks parliament and generally any aspect of and the Diaspora.
the first time since the signing of the national undertaking had to balance the The Sub-Committees conducted
Comprehensive Peace Agreement three regions. But the National Dialogue consultations at the regional and
(CPA) in 2005, that South Sudanese are Conference provides a chance for various grassroots levels. The recommendations
talking to themselves with the objective regions to start thinking nationally away of these field missions, and from other
of defining themselves as a people, and from the concept of regionalism. consultations outside the country,
agree on the direction as to where they That is why when President Salva Kiir provided the basis for the agenda of the
want to go as a country, after over 50 launched the National Dialogue Process National Dialogue Conference.
years of conflict. on December 14, 2016, there was a lot The process has also benefitted
of sceptism from opponents and the from South Africa, the country that
The outcome of the deliberations international community that it was introduced the concept of justice and
will serve as a foundation for the likely to fail because critics felt it was not national reconciliation to the continent
comprehensive constitutional review inclusive enough. after decades of repression by the
that will address various issues related At the launch, President Kiir said that Apartheid system.
In June 2017, the National Dialogue
to nation-building; the national identity the National Dialogue Process was as an Leadership visited South Africa, where
and ethos, the type of government, inter- attempt to end the country’s civil war, the then Deputy President, Cyril
communal relations, peace and security; resuscitate the state building process and Ramaphosa shared the experiences
relations between the centre and the pave the way towards national unity. of South Africa that are relevant to
states; wealth creation and sharing; But there were concerns that the challenges facing South Sudan.
economy and foreign policy, among National Dialogue was meant to derail Steering Committee also visited Nairobi,
others. the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution Kenya and held discussions with
Among the key issues under deliberations of Conflict in the Republic of South representatives of the Former Detainees,
include; Transformation of Governance Sudan (ARCISS) that was hardly being who gave their perspective of issues.
in South Sudan; Security Sector Reform; implemented. Similarly, the committee visited
Building Strong Foundation for South In an interview with this writer at that Khartoum to consult with Dr Lam Akol
Sudan Economy: Social Cohesion; and time, former Botswana president, Festus and other opposition leaders, and also
Implementation Mechanism for the Mogae, who was then, the chairman of Addis Ababa and held consultations with
recommendations of the conference the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation African Union, the Inter-Governmental
outcomes. Commission (JMRC), said that the Authority for Development (IGAD).

22 | The Nile Explorer 011