Background

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) represents a real opportunity for the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) to put into practice its stated vision for responsive and democratic governance. However it also poses enormous challenges, as the government needs time to establish itself and develop and implement policies and legislation, as well as build new capacities, systems and structures. The situation of the past 22 years has meant that in Southern Sudan governance at all levels, and domestic capacity for service delivery is, at best, rudimentary. Indeed, the situation in Southern Sudan is one of starting almost from scratch when it comes to key capacities for governance and service delivery. The role of local government in the post-conflict period is of particular importance. It is where most citizens interact directly with the government in the expectation of enjoying some form of “peace dividend” – their security, their rights, and their basic services. The Local Government Recovery Programme (LGRP) is a three-year programme. The implementation of the LGRP is divided among three implementing agencies based on each one’s presence on the ground. UNDP has the overall management and implementation role in the Upper Nile, Unity and Western Bahr el Ghazal States; Catholic Relief Services in the three States of Equatoria Region – Western, Central and Eastern Equatoria; and PACT in Jonglei, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap and Lakes States.

Objectives
The project aims to support the local government in Southern Sudan so that it is capable of playing a leadership role in socio-economic development, and therefore contributing to democratic development and sustainable peace in the new dispensation in Southern Sudan.

Outputs
• The formal establishment of a local government, with a clear legal and policy framework and basic facilities.
• Capacity-building of local governments in order for them to meet their prescribed roles in governance and recovery.
• Local government assuming a practical and central role in post-war recovery in target counties.
• Local government perceived as effective and legitimate.

Snapshots of the project's major achievements
• A draft Local Government Policy developed, in the form of a Memorandum, and submitted to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.
• A draft Local Government Act completed and submitted to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs for presentation to the Council of Ministers and onward transmission to GoSS Legislative Assembly for the legislation process.
• 10 organizational development facilitators recruited and trained.
• 132 local government administrators trained in planning, finance and budgeting and in local government administration.
• Planning Units established in all counties.
• Planning Unit staff and local government administrators trained in county planning, financial/budget management and local administration, using standardized modules as recommended by GoSS.
• County Planning and Budgeting process completed and submitted to the State Ministries of Local Government in all 10 States, by all 78 Counties in Southern Sudan.
• Design of the Local Development Fund in its final stages.
• Assessment of the Local Government Recovery Programme completed.
• The Local Government Policy Framework and draft Local Government Bill have been developed.
• Under the guidance of the Local Government Board, the county level planning Units have been established in all 78 counties with County Executive Committees assuming oversight functions to systematize recurrent annual planning and budgeting.
• For the first time since the civil war, the planning and budgeting process was conducted in all the 78 counties culminating in 2008 County plans and budgets that were submitted to the States.
• State facilitators conducted and completed training for County Planning unit staff in planning and budgeting to build the trainees capacity to carry out their county planning and budgeting process for 2009 in Jonglei; Upper Nile; Northern Bahr El Ghazal; Eastern Equatoria; and Central Equatoria States. As a strategy for building sustainable local capacity at the state level, the facilitators had previously received training as facilitators.
• A total 132 county staff received training in planning, budgeting and administration to lead the county planning and budgeting process with technical backstopping from the experts and the planning specialists in the states in collaboration with the Support to States Project.
• The screening exercise of 3500 local government administrators to reduce redundancy and to promote efficiency of the Local Government was completed.