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Integrity’s media specialist Lisa Clifford has returned to Juba to continue her work with the Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS).

AMDISS is an organisation of South Sudanese media outlets founded in 2003 to address the news and information void in the country and the lack of capacity by local journalists to respond to the crucial issues of human rights, good governance, freedom of expression and democracy. AMDISS is also leading the effort to ensure media legislation guaranteeing freedom of the press is adopted by the Southern Sudanese government.

Lisa has been helping AMDISS set up a media centre for local journalists and hire new staff, including a manager who is responsible for the day-to-day operations. The centre is intended to be a useful resource for media professionals in Juba and around the country and a hub for training activities which will be conducted by AMDISS and project partners International Media Support and Norwegian People’s Aid.

This time, Lisa will work with the AMDISS executive board and staff members to facilitate the development of a new strategy to help guide the organisation in the years ahead.

Integrity and Norwegian People’s Aid have published an investigation of business-community relations in the oil sector in South Sudan.

The report is the first of its kind written from the perspective of the oil companies themselves. Drawing on a series of interviews with mid and senior level representatives from South Sudan-based oil companies and consortia, the analysis highlights the many logistical, political and human resource challenges they face. In addition, oil companies lack understanding of the fragile community context in which they operate, which can aggravate conflict. These challenges result in poorly developed and implemented corporate responsibility strategies.

Recommendations were discussed with a wide range of stakeholders at a conference in Malakal in August. We propose the formation of a multi-stakeholder Oil National Working Group, with responsibility to develop consensus on objectives for the sector, input on new legislation and regulation and build voluntary governance and best practice standards.

We also recommend the need to build civil society capacity to hold the sector to account, and to provide support to the oil companies where relevant, particularly regarding needs assessments and community engagement strategies.

Click here to download the report...

Posted by Kate Ives, Head of Stakeholder Engagement

As part of the Oil Working Group, Integrity Research and Consultancy along with several prominent NGO’s was asked to present to a select group of 50 parliamentarians and civil servants involved in the drafting of the new oil bill for South Sudan.

The acting chair of the oil committee the Honourable Henry Adwok requested that each of the members of the Oil Working Group who have recently produced work on oil come and present their work to a mixed governmental group who are all involved in developing the pending bill. Integrity presented our work on the CSR policies of the oil companies and joint operating companies currently working in South Sudan.

Integrity wishes the oil committee and the various organs involve in the drafting all the best at this critical juncture, and is grateful to have been given the opportunity to impact upon such an important piece of legislation.

Posted by Marc Buchner, Head of Office, South Sudan