Review Article
Year: 2020 | Month: July-September | Volume: 5 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 292-308
Examining Government Effective, Accountable and Transparent Utilization of Resources on the COVID-19 Response in South Sudan
Dr. Akashraj1, Boboya James Edimond2
1Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Juba, South Sudan.
2Scholar, Senior Researcher & Policy Analyst, Institute of Social Policy & Research, South Sudan.
Corresponding Author: Dr. Akashraj
ABSTRACT
This policy paper examines the extent to which South Sudan's Government has effectively utilized resources on the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper further assesses what mechanisms are in place to ensure accountability and transparency in managing the COVID-19 crisis funds? Findings from the paper suggest that; decades of successive wars in South Sudan mean that the health infrastructure is visually non-existent with ineffective and weak capacity of government to utilize resources. The internal political turmoil and lack of investment in the health system have left the nation battered by a series of disease outbreaks, including the COVID-19. There was no efficiency observed in handling the COVID-19 pandemic by the now-disbanded High-Level Taskforce on COVID-19 and the current National Taskforce. The Ministry of Health in charge of fighting the pandemic was marred with infighting and reports of corruption, which negatively impacted the Taskforce's performance including its ability to mobilize financial resources. Notwithstanding, this paper's observation is that there is no significant misappropriation of donor funds by the Government, this is because the government did not receive the money from donors. The paper’s authors could not ascertain the misappropriation by government also because there is no single record available to the authors to suggest so. Available information and documents reviewed linked and attributed to the fact that agencies such as WHO, UNICEF and other international organizations were directly in charge of their funds and spending according to their own plans with the Government left to play an oversight role which was very insufficient given the weak and poor government capacity. As recommended by the paper, there are several policies that the South Sudan Government must put in place to better address future pandemics, including increased investment in the health sector, hiring more skilled health workers, better records keeping, improved health infrastructure as well as improving accountability and transparency.
As from the available reviewed literature, South Sudan received as of June 2020 a total cash donation of approximately US$ 27,591,000 (Twenty-Seven Million Five Hundred and Ninety One Thousand United States Dollars Only). These funds were donated by; World Bank, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Department for International Development (DFID), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), African Development Bank (AfDB), Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and European Union (EU) respectively. The Government received in-kind donations from various entities; items such as apron protection, disposable gloves, surgical gloves, examination face shields, disposable respirators, masks, FFP2/N95 masks, gowns, surgical/isolation goggles protective, wraparounds, indirect vent biohazard bags, Lab screening test kits (Primers and probes), Lab confirmation test kits (Primers and probes), RT-PCR reaction kits, and ventilators among others. Food items and other non-food, non-medical items were also donated, some handed over to the Ministry directly while others to CBOs and communities. All the in-kind donations estimated to be worth approximately US$50 million. The general observation indicated that there had been goodwill from international donors, governments, organizations, and the local private sector to provide both cash and in-kind donations to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. As indicated in the findings, a significant amount of in-kind donations was sent to the National Taskforce on COVID-19. Most donations by development partners have been wired through the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The Government's role in direct handling of donor money has been significantly limited, just as it is the case with pre-pandemic projects. Other funds and in-kind donations have been wired through other multilateral agencies such as USAID, EU, UKAID, CHINA, IGAD, and African Union, among others.
Keywords: COVID – 19, In-Kind & In-cash Donations, Government, MoH, Donors.