02/09/2023
Friday, September 1, 2023 - The First Vice President, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, has today officiated the National Conference for the Council of Transitional Authority Leaders (COTAL) in Juba, South Sudan, from September 1โ3, 2023.
The three-day conference is organised by the ministries of peacebuilding, justice and constitutional affairs, federal affairs, and interior in partnership with the United Nations Mission to South Sudan (UNMISS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), Finn Church Aid (NCA), and Restore Hope Africa under the theme "Empowering Transitional Authority to Consolidate Peace and Reconciliation".
The conference is attended by the transitional leader across all of South Sudan, with the objective of:
1. Empower the Council of Traditional Authority Leaders to address local disputes and resolve communal conflicts.
2. Enhance common understanding among government authorities and traditional authorities at the grassroots, and
3. Revive annual regional peace conferences.
In his speech, Dr. Machar emphasised the importance of convening such a conference for discussing significant topics such as the role of the transitional leader in disseminating the revitalised peace agreement, the constitution-making process, and transitional justice.
He pointed out that transitional leaders have been playing a great role in society, and they have contributed to peace dissemination, conflict resolution, and development in South Sudan since the colonial period to our time.
Lastly, the first vice president and chair of the governance cluster assured the conference attendees that governors and chief administrators will be instructed to collaborate closely with the transitional authority leaders per the national and state constitutions and local government law to ensure that they carry out their functions and roles to strive to enhance tradition and culture, promote na