The Capacity Building for State Institutions and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in South Sudan took place from 28- 30 October 2024 in Juba, South Sudan. The programme was hosted by the African Union (AU) Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) Centre, in partnership with the AU Mission in South Sudan (AUMISS). It brought together participants from various sectors, including the Office of the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Defence and Security. Additional participants included representatives from the Ministry of Internal and Home Affairs, the National Youth Council, the South Sudan National Electoral Commission (NEC), CSOs, and groups representing youth, women, and individuals with disabilities.
The capacity-building programme aimed to familiarise participants with the AU revised PCRD Policy (2024), addressing various Reconstruction and Development Intervention areas for PCRD and peacebuilding. It sought to enhance stakeholders’ meaningful participation in political processes by fostering an understanding of the democratic governance process, legal and policy frameworks for socio-economic recovery, and sustainable development in South Sudan.
As the youngest country, still in the process of strengthening its institutions to facilitate democratic transitions, it is vital for the AU Commission (AUC) to play a central role in building the capacity of democratic governance institutions, including the Cabinet, Parliament, Human Rights Institutions and Commissions, Security Sector Institutions and Forces, Anti-Corruption Commissions and Agencies, and Electoral Management Bodies. This involves fostering the active involvement of these stakeholders throughout the process.
ACCORD contributed to the capacity building initiative by co-facilitating the development of a roadmap with the programme’s lead facilitator, covering the period from pre-election to post-election in South Sudan in preparation for the country’s first democratic election. Through the Training for Peace (TfP) Programme, ACCORD has supported the AUC in enhancing key stakeholders’ engagement, particularly CSOs, with the newly adopted PCRD Policy. ACCORD’s participation in the Capacity Building initiative aligns with its strategic objective to strengthen the role of multi-dimensional stakeholders in addressing complex conflicts.
