**ATTACHMENT B-10**

**Current USAID/Sudan Democracy and Governance**

**Program Overview**

***Program Overview***

Public support for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) can be
secured only through the emergence of legitimate, democratic governance.
Failure of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) and governments in
the Three Areas to establish participatory, accountable governance that
effectively addresses citizen needs could easily lead to a resumption of
conflict, yet the legacies of civil war -- from lack of infrastructure
to high illiteracy rates and inexperience in democratic governance --
have made it difficult for these governments to communicate with
constituents and deliver services. USAID is working with the GOSS to
develop the core institutions and systems necessary to meet citizen
needs. This assistance is being expanded for governments in the Three
Areas. At the same time, USAID is supporting the development and
strengthening of means to enable citizen participation in governance,
including civil society organizations, political parties, media and
access to information, civic education, and dialogues between government
and citizen groups. The program also supports implementation of key CPA
milestones, including the census and national elections. Activities
include:

***Good Governance***

-   *Public Sector Executive Function:* USAID is supporting the
    incorporation of democratic structures and principles into the
    public sector to create and stabilize legitimate and democratic
    government in Southern Sudan. Specifically, USAID is assisting the
    GOSS in the development and legitimacy of core institutions of
    governance. Partner institutions include the Ministry of Finance and
    Economic Planning; Ministry of Labor, Public Service, and Human
    Resource Development; Ministry of Constitutional Development and
    Legal Affairs; and the Bank of Southern Sudan.

-   *Anti-Corruption:* Anti-corruption reform is essential to
    stabilizing legitimate and democratic governments in rebuilding
    countries. USAID is supporting governmental reform by strengthening
    transparency and oversight through technical assistance to both the
    executive and legislative branches. Partner institutions include the
    Southern Sudan Anti-Corruption Commission and select oversight
    committees in the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly.

***Political Competition and Consensus Building***

-   *Election and Political Processes:* Elections and political
    processes are key elements in creating and stabilizing legitimate
    and democratic government. USAID has assisted the development of
    legal and institutional frameworks that govern elections and
    supported election management bodies. As the national census is the
    first step toward elections taking place, USAID supports the
    Southern Sudan Commission for the Census, Statistics, and Evaluation
    in conducting census and analyzing census data. Additional election
    support assistance will be launched in 2008 and 2009.

-   *Political Parties:* To create stability, rebuilding countries must
    establish viable political parties that represent citizens'
    interests and govern responsibly and effectively. To strengthen
    capacity among opposition parties, USAID supports political party
    organizational development and participation in elections. Training
    is provided to seven of the eight political parties that are
    represented in the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly and is being
    expanded to northern political parties. Topics addressed include
    member recruitment, platform development, women and youth in
    politics, fundraising, accountability, transparency, media and
    communications, and campaign and election management.

-   *Consensus Building Processes:* Rebuilding states must support
    consensus-building processes to ensure stability. Fostering dialogue
    will help to manage conflict and secure the foundation for
    stability. USAID consensus-building programs work at the grassroots
    level, at the organizational level among civil society
    organizations, and between civil society organizations and local
    government. They also promote understanding of citizen views among
    key government and political actors and build consensus on how to
    address those views. Activities include civil society exchange
    visit, civil society-government dialogues, and public opinion
    research.

***Civil Society***

-   *Civic Participation:* Enhancing civic participation is key to
    creating an environment supportive of civil society. USAID seeks to
    promote strong, vibrant civil society by building capacity and
    accountability in civil society organizations, half led by women and
    the other half addressing issues of marginalized groups. Assistance
    is provided to 70 civil society organizations and is being extending
    to 29 more. Civil society partners work in hygiene, literacy,
    vocational training, health, and HIV/AIDS, targeting youth, women,
    and returnees, among other activities. Eight community resource
    centers provide hubs for training, civic education, access to
    information, and communications infrastructure to partner
    organizations and their communities; three additional resource
    centers are under development. USAID supports extensive radio-based
    civic education with weekly broadcasts and facilitated listening
    groups in Southern Sudan and the Three Areas.

-   *Media Freedom and Freedom of Information:* Media freedom and
    freedom of information are integral to an independent media sector
    in rebuilding countries. However, most citizens in Southern Sudan
    lack access to the small amount of independent information that is
    available. USAID is supporting the development of individual and
    organizational media capacity, assisting government communications,
    and establishing public, private, and community media outlets and
    infrastructure. Partners include the GOSS Ministry of Information
    and Broadcasting, Sudan Radio Service short-wave radio, and four
    community FM stations. Activities have included assisting the
    development of the Southern Sudan media regulatory framework,
    supporting establishment of public information radio and TV in
    Southern Sudan, journalist training and distributing solar-powered
    wind-up radios in Southern Sudan and the Three Areas.