Let’s adopt Good Governance in South Sudan

By Baak Chan Yak in Wau South Sudan,

We have to be bold in our national ambitions. First, we must win the fight against poverty within the next decade. Second, we must improve moral standards in government and society to provide a strong foundation for good governance. Third, we must change the character of our politics to promote fertile ground for reforms. The speed of decision making is the essence of good governance.

Corruption is the enemy of development, and of good governance. It must be gotten rid of both the government and the people at large must come together to achieve this national objective.

Strong government doesn't mean simply military power or an efficient intelligence apparatus; instead, it should mean effective, fair administration in other words, 'good supremacy.'

People always want welfare, development, and good leadership style as long as you are delivering services, people are with you. China, frankly, can be an opportunity for Africa based on the huge infrastructure deficit on the continent, but what needs to happen is that governments and citizens have to build internal ownership of the need for good power, transparency, accountability, and respect for the environment. And being in the EU has given Britain a stronger voice in the world. Britain leads in Europe, from trade to climate change, from good ascendancy to debt relief for the poorest nations, and in turn Europe helps to lead the world.

I believe the processes of good control have gone astray. Specifically, there is an erosion of transparency, independence and accountability.

The moment a large investor doesn't believe a government will pay back its debt when it says it will, a crisis of confidence could develop. Investors have scant patience for the years of good governance - politically fraught fiscal restructuring, austerity and debt rescheduling - it takes to defuse a sovereign-debt crisis.

Inspiring scenes of people taking the future of their countries into their own hands will ignite greater demands for good governance and political reform elsewhere in the world, including in Asia and in Africa.

Respectable governance with good intentions is the hallmark of our government. Implementation with integrity is our core passion. We cannot be mere consumers of good governance; we must be participants; we must be co-creators.

Public servants should be focused on serving the public not any special interest group, and good governance should be an expectation not an exception.

We've seen over time that countries that have the best economic growth are those that have good governance, and good governance comes from freedom of communication. It comes from ending corruption. It comes from a populace that can go online and say, 'This politician is corrupt, this administrator, or this public official is corrupt. Fighting corruption is not just good governance. It's self-defense. It's patriotism.

Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.

The biggest determinant in our lives is culture, where we are born, what the environment looks like. But the second biggest determinant is probably governance, good governance or a certain kind of governance makes a huge difference in our lives.

Regional exchange can be a source of growth and development, and of enhancing good governance. Anna Lindh The government's job is good governance for everybody. My government will make policies; if you fit into it, come on board, or stay where you are. My job is not to spoon-feed anyone. Narendra Modi My government is working for the common man. Our priority is the poor of the country. We want good governance through a dynamic and seamless government.

All religions and all communities have the same rights, and it is my responsibility to ensure their complete and total protection. My government will not tolerate or accept any discrimination based on caste, creed and religion.

Our country does not believe in the concept of your God and my God. We believe that all gods are one. We have different ways of accepting Him. All ways lead to Him. Narendra Modi We will naturally pursue our goals on the strength of our own resources, skills and enterprise. But, we know that we will be more successful when we do this in partnership with the world.

I always say the strength of democracy lies in criticism. If there is no criticism, that means there is no democracy. And if you want to grow, you must invite criticism. And I want to grow; I want to invite criticism. If you were to ask me to choose between democratic values and wealth, power, prosperity and fame, I will very easily and without any doubt choose democratic values.

Peace can only thrive when the climate is right. We remain open to bilateral dialogue with Sudan on all outstanding issues in an environment free from terrorism and violence. I believe mutual respect for one another and cooperation should be the basis for relationships with foreign nations.

We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up a digital locker for every citizen to store personal documents that can be shared across departments.

I have spoken about inflation, unemployment, farmers' problems, security, etc. I keep talking about these issues. I seek answers from the Indian government.

When you think of the exponential speed and scale of expansion of social media or a service, you have to believe that it is equally possible to rapidly transform the lives of those who have long stood on the margins of hope.

Much of South Sudan that we dream of still lies ahead of us housing, power, water and sanitation for all; bank accounts and insurance for every citizen; connected and prosperous villages; and, smart and sustainable cities. I believe that the government has only one religion, South Sudan first. A government has only one holy book, our Constitution. A government has only one kind of devotion that is towards the nation.

We would like a stable policy framework, and whatever incentives and tax structures are there should be made known to investors upfront. There should be credibility, clarity and continuity in both policy formulation and its implementation.

I was born in a very poor family. I used to sell tea in a railway coach as a child. My mother used to wash utensils and do lowly household work in the houses of others to earn a livelihood. I have seen poverty very closely. I have lived in poverty. As a child, my entire childhood was steeped in poverty.

The author, Baak Chan Yak Deng, is a south Sudanese Economics commentator / Accounting and Finance specialist and Freelance management consultant  and can be reached me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +211926063355