PCCA casts doubt on gov’t commitment to implement outcome of economic conference

JUBA, SEPTEMBER 20, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA), a South Sudanese civil rights group, has cast doubt on the government’s commitment to implement the resolutions of the National Economic Conference (NEC), which was held from September 4-9, 2023.

Held from 5^th to 5^th September 2023, the National Economic Conference was organized for the government to analyze, debate, and offer actionable policy recommendations on how to stabilize the country’s ailing economy.

It ended with a at least 160 resolutions with President Kiir committing to its implementation.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post this afternoon, the PCCA said South Sudan government has a history of organizing conferences and dialogues, but rarely implements the resolutions that come out of these events.

“It is characteristic of South Sudan’s government, in its different forms since the country became independent, to organize colorful conferences, dialogues and fora. In those events, people deliberate, deliver long written speeches, and produce communiques, agreements or statements with many resolutions that are never ever implemented,” the PCC said.

The civil rights organization also pointed out that many of the resolutions of the national economic conference are the same as resolutions from previous conferences and dialogues, which have never been implemented.

“This first NEC produced over 160 resolutions which are not totally new,” the PCCA said. “They are similar if not the same as those discussed and adopted in the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflicts in the Republic of South Sudan, its Revitalized version of 2018; the National Dialogue of 2016 – 2020, the Roadmap of 2022, and several annual Governors’ Forum convened over the years.”

It said that the government’s failure to implement the resolutions of previous conferences and dialogues is a sign that it is not serious about addressing the country’s economic challenges and called on the government to acknowledge that it is stuck and to open a dialogue with all stakeholders to find a way to resolve the country’s crises.

“Consistently, the outcomes of all these events are abandoned entirely like the National Dialogue or implemented selectively, slowly and inconsistently like those in the peace. Considering these experiences, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the bulky resolutions of the first NEC have no schedule, responsibilities, and resources allocated for implementation,” it said.

“What South Sudan and its partners need at the moment is an honest acknowledgement that the current political establishment of the Roadmap, is stuck and cannot deliver on its own commitments to peace. To make progress, South Sudan needs a reset through an all-inclusive roundtable conference to build consensus on the persistent crises and mechanisms to resolve them effectively and urgently,” it added.