The new state of South Sudan is currently in the process of developing the necessary rules and procedures for its disaster management structure. During the workshop, the authorities put forward areas currently under legislative review, such as the granting of tax waivers for the import of humanitarian goods and the establishment of a registration procedure for international NGOs. The Council of Ministers has suggested the establishment of an ‘NGO desk’ composed of all concerned government agencies, which would streamline the registration, monitor quality criteria and be responsible for the operational coordination.
The participants were required to immerse themselves in a fictional disaster scenario which brought them face to face with the legal and regulatory barriers that may come up during an international disaster response operation. Participants were encouraged to work on these issues by the Secretary General of the South Sudan Red Cross, Mr. Arthur Poole, who stressed the importance of a proper legal framework to ensure an effective delivery of assistance to the affected population. He highlighted the role of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies on the matter: “Seen as the South Sudan Red Cross is an auxiliary to the authorities in matters of humanitarian assistance, seeking to collaborate to strengthen South Sudan’s legal framework pertaining to international disaster operations is a logical step.”
The South Sudanese Government is committed to both facilitate and regulate humanitarian assistance as well as to enhance legal preparedness for receiving international humanitarian assistance. In 2013, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management intends to convene a meeting of all concerned stakeholders to start developing a national Disaster Management Policy.
The report of the workshop ‘Disasters and Law in South Sudan’ can be accessed here.