More than 50 representatives of chiefs, youth, women, and civil society organizations from parts of Western Bahr el Ghazal State concluded a two-day inter-payam dialogue on peacebuilding.
The dialogue was organized by the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to rebuild the social fabric among the residents.
CEPO regional coordinator Stephen Robo Musa said, “We are here today as part of Wau South dialogue; we have been in Besselia, Bagari, and Bazia Payams. There will not be presentations for we need to dialogue and discuss challenges that are facing us as Wau South communities in terms of social cohesion, because if we did not focus much on those challenges we may not lives peacefully in our payams.”
He added that the workshop also explored the role of the payams in advocating for development.
On his part, a representative from the state ministry of peace-building Ukech Utuor stressed that peace is crucial in the advancement of development at the grassroots, only if the communities identify and resolve their challenges.
“Without peace, there’s no progress even at the extent of families. If there is no peace no one will think of improvement. So the grass root people need to have peace, and how are we going to achieve that? Unless we gather to discuss what is affecting us and find a way of addressing them, this is how we can achieve peace for no one will come from outside to show you the way since you are familiar with your problems you’ll know how to overcome them,” he added.
Meanwhile, Wau Town Mayor, Paulino Said Uku, acknowledged the importance of dialogue and advised the participants to find peaceful means of resolving their challenges.
“I want all participants to come up with good strategic plans and be part of peacemaking and problem solvers in our communities,” he said. Such a workshop also should be conducted for all the citizens of Wau Town through which some people could be able to train others in their areas.”