JUBA – South Sudan’s deputy governor of central bank for administration and finance, Daniel Keach Puoch, died in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Wednesday after having been on treatment for several months in the Kenyan capital, the bank and family sources said.

The senior South Sudan bank official was appointed vide a presidential decree as the deputy governor of the bank for administration and finance.

Speaking to Sudans Post in Nairobi, a family member who requested not to be identified said the Puoch passed on Wednesday, but refused to disclose the cause of the illness that culminated in his demise.

“This is to confirm that he passed on yesterday here in Nairobi. He has been on medication for a number of months,” the family source said.

In a statement, the central bank confirmed the demise of the senior financial institution official.

“The Bank of South Sudan regrets to inform the general public and the people of South Sudan about the untimely death of the Deputy Governor for Administration and Finance Hon. Daniel Kech which occurred on July,13, 2022 in Nairobi,” the bank statement said.

Via Sudans Post

Sudan’s al Burhan in Juba for talks with Kiir on peace implementation

JUBA — The leader of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council Gen. Abdelfattah al Burhan has arrived in the South Sudanese capital Juba to hold talk with President Salva Kiir Mayardit on the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement according to a statement by the presidency.

The presidency statement said the Sudanese leader was received at Juba airport by President Kiir and the two are expected to discuss the challenges facing the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement.

“His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic has this evening received General Abdel Fattah al-Buhran, the Chairman of Transitional Sovereign Council of the Republic of Sudan, upon arrival at Juba International Airport,” the statement said.

Ateny Wek Ateny, the press secretary in the office of the president, said “the two leaders will hold a meeting tomorrow (Friday, 18th March 2022) to discuss issues pertaining to challenges affecting the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and also the progress of the implementation of Sudan’s Peace Agreement that is being meditated by South Sudan Government.”

The senior presidency aide further said Kiir “will be briefed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on his recent visit to Uganda where he held a meeting with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as guarantors of the Revitalized Peace Agreement on the way forward following the cancellation of the retreat that was scheduled to take place in Kampala recently.”

 

The Executive Director of Upper Nile Youth Development Association (UNYDA) Mr. Charles Onak has called on the government of the Republic of South Sudan to engage in wider and meaningful community participation in natural resource management to promote sustainable development.

 

The remarks were delivered during the opening of a workshop on 6^th March 2022 in Juba on Enhancing the capacity and knowledge of civil society organization’s on petroleum laws. The gathering brought together members of civil society, government representatives, Academia, Members of Parliament and students.

 

The training is part of a series of workshops conducted by UNYDA in collaboration with Civil Society Coalition on Natural Resources (CSCNR) and supported by the Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA) to raise awareness on the key provisions of petroleum health, safety and environmental management system and plan regulations 2015.

Environmental safety measures are often neglected in South Sudan’s extractive industries. recently there has been concerns about the risks communities living near oil fields including Thar-jath, in Unity state are exposed to especially given the devastating floods of 2021 that persist up to now. There is an alarm that the poor disposal of petroleum waste may contaminate drinking water sources. Sign of Hope, a German NGO has recently reported that its research on water contamination has confirmed the its worst fears, “The water was polluted with a witches’ brew of heavy metals, salts and other noxious substances. The source of these was quite obviously the local oil fields”.

 

Health hazards associated with the drilling of oil in South Sudan has not been given a serious consideration by the government and oil companies despite many years of advocacy by locals and environmental activists. Reports of unusual death of animals, still births and deformed babies continue to remain unresolved. And no significant measures have been taken by companies drilling oil to protect communities from negative effects of oil production.

 

Meanwhile Mr. Nhial Tiitmamer, an environmental specialist urged the civil society leaders to advocate for reforms including the implementation of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) based on the existing laws before new projects are approved. Environmental experts have for long doubted the conduct of feasibility study of projects including an environmental impact assessment before commencement of big projects with implication on nature.

 

The dialogue is part of empowering local communities to understand the laws on petroleum, and to build stakeholders capacity to promote citizens voices in decision making on petroleum management.

 

Chapter IV, article 4.9 of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCISS) provides for environmental protection and compels the government to develop comprehensive policies and legal institutional frameworks for the preservation, conservation and sustainable use of the environment. However new institutions like the Environmental Management Authority which would play a central role in this mandate are yet to be formed.

 

Oil continues to be South Sudan’s most important natural resource funding over 80% of the country’s annual budget. With large proven reserves of up to 3.5 billion barrels – the 3^rd largest in sub-Saharan Africa and 90% of the oil and gas reserves untapped. The government is keen to increase production and revenues, and with strong interest from foreign investors, there is great potential for development of new wells given the return of relative peace in most areas with oil blocks but also a negative environmental and social impact given the government’s and operating companies poor track record in implementation of the petroleum related codifications.

 

Upper Nile Youth Development Association with support from NPA has been training civil society leaders, government officials on petroleum laws including the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA) 2012, Petroleum Act 2012, Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) Regulations, and local content regulations to enhance the capacity and knowledge of civil society leaders on the petroleum legislations to increase information sharing, learning, and as well provide a collective voice to ensure accountable and responsive natural resource governance sector.