Resolutions & Recommendations
Speakers' Forum of 23 Sept. Nairobi-Kenya
In this process therefore resolved:
- The Speakers committed themselves to accept the SFSS as a collective body representing the common interests of the assemblies
- SFSS is composed of SSLA and the State Assemblies with Speakers as representatives of the assemblies
- it shall have an independent secretariat, however, as interim measure the SSLA and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs will jointly provide secretariat to the SFSS
Recommendations: During the meeting, the Speakers deliberated on wide range of issues on governance, development in general and on strengthening of the legislative process throughout Southern Sudan and have made the following recommendations as way forward:
1: Policy and Regulatory Framework:
The Forum recognizes the urgency to translate the constitutional provisions into policies and legislations so that they are properly followed and enacted to institutionalize democratic decentralized good governance and fast-track development in Southern Sudan makes the following recommendations:
- Initiate a process identifying the key provisions of the constitution that need urgent policy and legislative process so that the Government of Southern Sudan and the State Governments can be prepared to act upon
- Promote and build cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of governments through regular interactions targeted to understand and appreciate each others roles and functions in promoting democratic governance
- Organized consultative process through a joint session of the SFSS with the Government of Southern Sudan and the Governors’ Forum in order to discuss, identify and agree on the areas identified and act upon
- Discuss and agree with the Government of Southern Sudan and the Governors’ Forum for coordination and harmonization in all legislative process as per the need, and
- Stratify and prioritize the policy making and legislative process based on the scope and weight of the issues
- Develop a time bound plan of action with key benchmarks indicators of results in this regard
Programs: In order to achieve the resolution of the SFSS the following programmatic directions and focuses are recommended:
1: Policy and Regulatory Framework:
- Appoint a joint working team of the GOSS, SFSS and the GFSS through the joint session to identify and recommend the priority policy and regulatory frameworks to act upon on priority basis
- Organize joint sensitization and learning sessions between the legislative assemblies and executives to understand, appreciate and respect each others roles so that coordination and good governance systems are entrenched in practices
- In order to build the self-reliance take initiative establishing the a Southern Sudan Governance and Policy Study Institute
- Establish the Southern Sudan Parliamentary Service Commission to ensure specialized support to the legislative assemblies.
2: Capacity Development:
- Conduct capacity development needs analysis of the SSLA, ten state assemblies and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in order that they are able to perform assigned functions and responsibilities
- Develop a capacity development strategy – short to long term- for guidance and action
- Develop programs and mobilize GOSS, State and external resources to support the capacity development activities as per priority
- Focus in particular in the capacity development in two areas (i) legislative process and (ii) the secretariat of the assemblies and the ministry
- In particular focus the capacity development of building institutional and national human resource for sustainability, predictability and access
3: Peer Learning and Sharing:
- Organize peer exchange, learning and skills sharing/transfer between SSLA and state assemblies and among state assemblies
- Build network and partnership with likeminded institutions – parliaments, legislative assemblies, inter-parliamentary unions and others
- Explore the possibilities of internships programs for the assemblies staff in the parliaments/ assemblies of other countries
4: Assembly Documentation and Archive: In order to keep the citizens informed on the decisions and activities of the assemblies work towards establishing:
- Legislative documentation and archive
- Publish and disseminate the decisions and activities through media
- Develop programs for capacity development.
5: Special Agenda: Advocacy and Value Promotion:
The SFSS recognizes that the assemblies and its members need set examples themselves by taking up and adhering to ideals in the form of special SFSS agenda in order to promote democratic governance in Southern Sudan, The recommended to achieve them are the followings:
- Pledge of commitment to support the CPA, peace and reconciliation
- Pledge of commitment to set example by zero tolerance to corruption and also maintain the same in individual life and practice
- Pledge commitment to maintain human rights and rule of law
- Pledge commitment not to express an opinion that disturbs peace, social harmony and tolerance among the people of Southern Sudan
- Make personal pledge to avoid any personal favor to any action that contradicts the good governance practices, and,
- Pledge full individual commitments to support the bill of rights, gender equality, welfare and development of children and promotion of peace and justice.
6: Coordination Framework:
The Forum recognizes the lack of coordination at intergovernmental level and also among/between the assemblies and partners. The forum believes, this situation must be corrected. Therefore it recommends:
- Proper working framework to enhance coordination between the executive and the legislative assemblies through Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in coordination with the SSLA
- Establish cell at state assemblies to communicate with SSLA and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and state governments
- Develop programs in coordination with the SSLA and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs particularly in the capacity development areas
7: Immediate Action Points:
- Organize a meeting with GOSS President and the Council of Minister to appraise them the formation of SFSS, its goal, objectives, structure and programs
- Do the same with the partners
- Initiate program development in the recommended areas in coordination with the partners firstly starting with the UNDP
Recommendations
Second Speakers' Forum of Dec 2007, Juba- Southern Sudan
RECOMMENDATIONS:
During the meeting, the Speakers deliberated on wide range of issues on security, government coordination, development in general, and on strengthening of the legislative process throughout Southern Sudan and have made the following recommendations as way forward:
- To raise with the President of GOSS security threat on the border states and general concerns arising from militias, cattle rustling, and poachers.
- To raise to the President of the GOSS who in turn will raise it in the presidency, GNU the issue of environmental pollution by oil companies in oil producing states.
- To establish cooperation and coordination framework between the executive and legislatures by appointment of leader of government business at the state level to link the executive and the legislature.
- To speed up the financial independence of the assemblies of Southern Sudan through establishment of Parliamentary Service Commission to avoid compromising the oversight function of the assemblies and enhancing their independence.
- To initiate a process identifying the key provisions of the constitution that need urgent policy and legislative process so that the Government of Southern Sudan and the State Governments can be prepared to act upon
- To promote and build cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of governments through regular interactions aimed at understanding and appreciating each others roles and functions in promoting democratic governance
- To organize consultative process through joint sessions of the SF with the Government of Southern Sudan and the Governors’ Forum( tentatively scheduled for February, 2008) in order to discuss and agree on the areas to act upon
- To discuss and agree with the Government of Southern Sudan and the Governors’ Forum for coordination and harmonization in all legislative processes as per the need,
- To strategize and prioritize the policy making and legislative process based on the scope and weight of the issues
- To develop a time bound plan of action with key benchmark indicators of results in this regard.
- The states should be able to incorporate the Constituent Development Funds (CDF) components in their respective states budgets.
- Address the concerns of those who lost their jobs as a result of reorganization of the public service
- Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs to device a mechanism for coordination between the state assemblies and GoSS.
- The state assemblies should review and implement the 25% representation of women in various positions in their respective assemblies.
- Follow up on the implementations of the resolutions of the first Speakers’ Forum.
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