Angelina calls for watchful eye on donor funds
Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Angelina Teny, has issued a rallying call for proper management of donor funds meant to support women in South Sudan.
“This is not for purposes of control but to channel the priorities where they are needed most,” she said.
Angelina made the remarks on Wednesday during the launch of the Women Leadership and Advocacy Initiative in Juba.
She advised the ministry of gender to keep track of the resources coming into the country from international partners such as Canada, Japan, and Sweden.
“Our international partners are spending a lot of resources to support women’s initiatives,” Angelina said.
She reiterated that resources coming through international partners must be channelled in the right direction.
“It is important to ensure equity and equal distribution of resources that are coming from our partners, ” Angelina said.
She said that it is critically important for the government to know how much money is coming into the country in support of women’s initiatives and how much is spent to give a clear picture of what role the partners play in empowering women.
“Whether we like it or not, it supports our national budgets, and therefore it’s not a way of controlling but rather a way of ensuring that everybody gets what they deserve,” she stressed.
Angelina acknowledged the role of their partners in the country, saying it is significant for women to identify the scope of their advocacy.
Commenting on the role played by women in the peace agreement, she said South Sudanese women have pioneered the role of women in peacebuilding that made UN resolutions favour their work.
She hailed women for their participation during peace negotiations, saying: “Negotiations are the beginning of the process of peace.”
The defence minister urged citizens to avoid conflict to build sustainable peace in the country.
“War is a tragedy, but war also comes with opportunities,” Angelina said.
She challenged the women to organise themselves and take an active part in all activities to bring peace and stability to the country.
