The European Union delegation in Juba and diplomats of other donor governments have called on South Sudan’s transitional government to review the NGO bill as soon as possible.
Speaking on Monday at the Ministry of Justice premises after meeting the justice minister, Ambassador Stefano De Leo, head of European Union Delegation in South Sudan, said that it is important for the NGO bill to be reviewed as one of the provisions in the peace agreement indicated, and the act should comply with international best practices.
“We have discussed the general situation in the country but also some concerns on the NGO Act,” he said. The diplomat expressed hopes that NGOs will be able to work “freely and effectively in all territories of South Sudan for the benefit of the population.”
Chapter 3, Article 1.2.5 of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan says that the NGO bill should be subject to review by both the new power-sharing government and the public. However, the bill was passed by a sitting of the old members of parliament in February this year, not by the Transitional National Assembly, which is yet to be formed.
The European Union and other donor governments have already previously criticized the new NGO bill, saying in a statement in February, “The Heads of Mission express their grave concern at the potential consequences of the passing of the Non-governmental Organisations bill, and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission bill in Parliament on 2 February.”
“Restricting the work of NGOs could have a significant negative impact on the people of South Sudan,” diplomats stated.
For his part, South Sudan’s Justice Minister Paulino Wanawilla Undo said that it is for the transitional government of national unity to decide when NGOs bill will be tabled. He added that the government has some observations on some NGOs in the country.
“The review of the NGO Act is the demand of the peace agreement; it is one of the legislations that needed to be review. It will be the decision of the transitional government as to when to take this issue of review to start,” said Paulino.
“Some of the NGO had some handbag especially the local ones. They go from place to place and they go and beg money from other NGOs and they will take one man or two men show and they say are NGOs. So we also have concerns on how to regulate them,” he added.