Introduction
In line with the implementation of the Local Government Act, the Local Government Board and its partner the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland have organised a three-day workshop on the Councils of Traditional Authority Leaders in Juba in December 02-04, 2009. The main objectives were: 1) to present and discuss the Local Government Act’s provisions on traditional authorities; 2) to assess the proceedings in each state with regards to the legal framework and the formation of the councils; 3) to define a way forward to establish effective councils at the state level.
The participants were four Deputy Governors (Jonglei, Northern Bar El-Ghazal, Central Equatoria and Lake states), the State Ministers of Local Government, the Directors General, the Directors for Traditional Authority as well as up to three traditional leaders from each state. Representatives from UNDP, UNMIS and GTZ also participated.
Professor Kwesi Kwaa Prah, from the Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society (CASAS) in Cape Town was the guest speaker, while the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development MoLACD) made a key contribution.
Looking at the final objective of establishing effective Councils of Traditional Authority Leaders (COTALs), as specified in the article 119 of the Local Government Act, this document provides a concise report of the discussions held at the workshop. It seeks to impart the most relevant and practical information to serve as a useful tool in the process of establishing the COTALs.
Three days of discussion produce a considerable amount of information, hence selecting what is to be reported entails a part of subjectivity. It is therefore critical to stress that all the reporting here has been scrutinized and approved by the two main presenters, namely the Local Government Board and the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development, while Professor Prah provided the summary of his presentation. READ FULL DOCUMENT
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