Category: Humanitarian

Humanitarian Minister Atak mends ties with aid partners

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management has vowed to open a new page and improve the environment for humanitarian partners operating in the country.

“When I came in, the reports I got, the [ministry staff] were stuck somewhere,

“There was mistrust, there were misunderstandings to some extent that some of these activities have not been well coordinated because nobody took this to another level,” said Minister Albino Akol Atak

The Minister was appointed months after the firing of Peter Mayen Majongdit by President Salva Kiir in November last year.

His statement came after his first meeting with humanitarian stakeholders including UN agencies, and international as well as national organizations operating in the country.

The minister and partners discussed the humanitarian crisis and challenges facing the sector in South Sudan.

The meeting aimed to strategically meet the high demand for humanitarian assistance in the country.

According to Minister Akol Atak, there are 9.4 million people who need humanitarian assistance in the country.

But the funding falls short by 1.7 billion US dollars to respond to the dire humanitarian needs across the country.

Speaking to the media following the meeting, Akol says when he assumed office, he found mistrust, and misunderstanding within the ministry.

He says this has led to a lack of coordination for humanitarian activities and operations in the country.

“Of course, those who are working in humanitarian activities are mostly technical people who are working with our partners, but we need the political leadership that will connect this work,” he added.

Atak stated that he is now seeking to open a new page to work with all humanitarian partners to serve the needy in the country.

“We have to open a new page whereby we will harmonize the direction of the nation … with the partners doing what’s needed by the nation.”

Aid agencies have complained about intermittent attacks on humanitarian workers with perpetrators going scotch-free

 

 

S. Sudan sets good example in hosting migrants -UN expert

A UN specialist in East and Horn of Africa has commended the government for opening the door for citizens in the region to work in South Sudan.

“South Sudan is a very good example of a country that is integrating every citizen from East and Horn of Africa within South Suda,” said  Tatiana Hadjiemmanuel, the Senior Regional Thematic Specialist in Labour Mobility and Social Inclusion at the IOM Regional Office for the East and Horn of Africa based in Nairobi.

A week ago, the Minister of Labour James Hoth Mai told the 4th Ministerial session of the labour Ministers in East and Horn of Africa that South Sudan host nearly a million migrant workers.

Ugandans, Kenyans, Ethiopians, Somalis, and Eritreans are some of the migrant workers engaging in different business activities in South Sudan.

She says her office has received positive feedback from migrant workers in South Sudan.

“We had interviews with government and civil society associations of Ugandans, Kenyans and Ethiopians in Juba and we were impressed also with the level of engagement and the level of acceptance they received in South Sudan,” she said.

Tatiana added that “we know also that South Sudan host quite a lot of refugees as well. So the government is doing a very good effort to integrate and also to simulate people within South Sudan and I think it is a good model.”

She spoke exclusively to Eye Radio on the sideline of the ongoing regional media workshop on migration in the East and Horn of Africa in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

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