South Sudanese in urgent need of social services despite ceasefire: Experts

Experts from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union have said that the most urgent needs of South Sudanese are social services such as clean water, health care and education.

Ahmed Yusuf Hersi, senior political advisor in the office of the IGAD special envoy for South Sudan, said the 2018 revitalized peace agreement is holding but social services are still lacking in both urban and rural settings.

“We will have opportunity to identify gaps across all the sectors, the 2018 peace agreement is still holding, what we are lacking is adequate social infrastructure, health, education and water system, there is really a need for both in urban and rural settings,” said Hersi on Wednesday.

He was speaking during validation workshop for South Sudan’s needs assessment held at Royal Imperial hotel in Juba. The workshop was attended by officials of the transitional national unity government.

Joram Biswaro,the the head of African Union Mission in South Sudan said various stakeholders including national and international partners will come on board to implement various needs of post -conflict South Sudan.

“The government all along has been very much positive, out of this needs assemesment, various stakeholders will understand the needs of the country, people expect water, food and health, it is the government of the day who will determine where to start,” Biswaro said.

The country needs assessment is aimed to achieve resilience and economic recovery across all sectors.

South Sudan is struggling to recover from years of deadly conflict since December 2013. The conflict killed tens of thousands and disrupted the economy which nearly depends 90 percent on oil revenue to finance it’s annual fiscal expenditure.