The call comes after the Undersecretary of the Ministry of East African Affairs, Beny Gideon Mabor, revealed that the government has secured $385,000 to host the conference in Juba later this month.
However, Mr. Gideon added that the event, scheduled for June 25-27, will be supported by the government with assistance from development partners.
Reacting to the matter, the Executive Director for the Centre for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), Ter Manyang Gatwech, claimed that these conferences are of little use to the public.
“Our experience shows these conferences do not benefit citizens,” he said. “CPA proposed that the estimated $385,000 allocated for the conference should instead be directed to support South Sudanese embassies abroad, many of which are reportedly struggling to operate effectively, he added.
Mr. Ter underlined that previous experiences with similar conferences have shown that resolutions are still unimplemented, signifying how money can be spent without resulting in universally motivated reforms.
“The resolutions made often remain unaddressed and unimplemented, making such events largely symbolic rather than solution-driven,” he said.
CPA pointed to earlier conferences, such as the Economic Forum and the 8th Governors’ Forum, as instances when debates failed to result in significant action.
The group stressed that although communication is vital, it needs to be supported by responsibility and execution.
“We are deeply concerned about the government’s commitment to the welfare of civil servants and the general public,” he lamented.
He continued, “The people of South Sudan need concrete action, not another round of empty promises.”
CPA urges the government and stakeholders to emphasise long-term investments and policy implementation over costly conferences with little impact.
“CPA urges the government and stakeholders to prioritise sustainable investments and policy execution over high-cost conferences with minimal impact,” Ter stressed.
The 10th East Africa Health and Scientific Conference, organised by the East African Health Research Commission, will be held in Juba, South Sudan.
This prestigious biennial event promotes regional health cooperation and supports the EAC’s goals of free movement of people, goods, and services.
Rotating among EAC member states, the conference is coordinated by national ministries and supported by regional and international health organisations.
This year’s event will feature expert speakers from various fields to enrich the discussions.
