Dr. Fred Van speaking to Gurtong during the farewell party in Juba [©Gurtong]
By Waakhe Simon Wudu
JUBA, 27th January 2012 [Gurtong] - The German International Cooperation, (GIZ) a nongovernmental organization (NGO) operating in South Sudan in the areas of water and sanitation among other areas is ready to improve its service delivery in South Sudan.
“We are very much focused in sustainability and building government capacity so that lives of people are improved,” Dr. M. Fred Van, the GIZ-South Sudan outgoing country Director told Gurtong last Tuesday during his farewell party in Juba.
Dr. Van said that GIZ focuses on Dr. John Garang’s famous saying that “the town should be taken to the rural areas” literally meaning effective service delivery should be taken to the people in the rural areas.
GIZ is one of the NGOs that have contributed to the country’s development initiatives. While outlining a few achievements during his term in office, Dr. Van said that, the organization was tirelessly involved in improving urban water provision, police training among other services.
In the recent past, GIZ installed radio and data transmission systems powered by solar energy in all the police stations in the ten States of South Sudan to ease communication in the Police Service.
The organization is currently facilitating the training of 30 South Sudanese Police Officers as radio technicians to help in managing the police radio systems in the country.
GIZ which also facilitated the return of 300,000 South Sudanese from the Diaspora also contributed much during the historic Sudan national elections in 2010 and the successful South Sudan referendum last year.
Dr. Van has many years of experience in South Sudan even before the signing of the historic Comprehensive Peace Agreement, (CPA) till date. He said that insecurity is the country’s leading challenge.
“I hope South Sudanese will maintain peace which is a key requirement for any development initiative,” he said.
The GIZ new country Director Mr. Bodo Immink expressed his commitment to ensure provision and improved service delivery in the newest nation with daunting challenges.
“We understand ourselves as service providers. Now I’m ready to listen to you (South Sudanese and governments),” he said.