A member of South Sudan’s National Legislative Assembly in Juba has revealed that the National Dialogue proposed by President Salva Kiir will be jointly funded by different donors including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Goch Makuac, who is the chairperson of the economic and finance committee in the assembly, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that President Kiir’s speech which is under debate in the parliament clearly states that the government has no money to fund the initiative. He said the proposal indicates that the dialogue will be funded by donor organizations like UNDP.

Makuac further said the donor organizations should ensure proper monitoring of released funds to avoid mismanagement.

But presidential spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny, said the unity government will fund the national dialogue expected to start on March 10 2017.

“I am not in the position to name donors that are going to fund the dialogue but what I know is that the government is going to provide funds.  The parliament will be given a supplementary budget and they will endorse it,” he added.

President Kiir who announced the initiative in December last year, said the national dialogue is the only way to end the ongoing conflict.

Photo: Goc Makuac, February 15, 2015. (The Niles/Deng Machol Monyrach)