THE SUDAN CONSORTIUM
Oslo, Norway: May 5- 7, 2008
Closing Remarks by Hart Schafer,
Director, Strategy and Operations, Africa Region, World Bank
· Challenging but productive three days, including pre-meetings. Three days where we have moved the Sudan agenda forward in partnership.
· Not try to summarize the whole, but some key take aways from this milestone meeting that I would like to stress from a World Bank perspective.
Ø No peace without development, and no development without peace. This is what VP Taha recalled from his speech three years ago in Oslo. This truth remains fundamental now and across all of Sudan. And therefore CPA implementation is more critical than ever. We must build on the good progress and strive to complete the unfinished agenda. As Minister Luka Biong Deng noted of the CPA “its sustenance will benefit not only the Sudanese, but will have ripple effects throughout the region”.
Ø Outsiders cannot build Sudan. Therefore, it has been encouraging to see strong signs of ownership and committed leadership from both Governments. And that leadership is increasingly reflected in a clear and strategic vision for where Sudan needs to go.
Ø Faster progress in making the peace dividend broader and wider. The war widow in Warrap state must be able to feel the difference—put food on her table—send her children to school—and have access to market for her produce.
Ø Effective government institutions are key. One way we can help her—the war widow from Warrup—is by strengthening Government capacity, so we can be sure the money reaches her and is not diverted or wasted.
Ø Gender awareness in project design, budgeting and monitoring of outcomes is essential. The strong and vocal presence here of a group of Sudanese women is testimony to the large, untapped potential in this agenda. I would like us to think of the typical Sudanese business man, or rather think of a woman who is helping create the private sector, through her agricultural produce, through trading, and by renting her cell ‘phone.
· The meeting identified a number of important development priorities including vulnerable groups, delivering CPA modalities, and tapping Sudan’s tremendous potential for broad-based growth. These mean:
Ø Increasing pro-poor spending focused on helping Sudan deliver on the MDGs and lowering the gaps between the better off and those who remain in great need, in particular those in the Three Areas, the East and the South;
Ø Completing Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of excombatants including special-needs groups such as children women, elderly and disabled, as well as making communities secure and controlling arms in the hands of civilians; implementation will take time and costs will be high;
Ø Supporting the planned 2009 elections as a key step in furthering equitable power sharing including leadership at the state and local levels;
Ø Closing the infrastructure gap, connecting all the states of this vast country, and addressing energy and water supply bottlenecks;
Ø Stimulating the role of the private sector, as the backbone for broad economic growth and stronger performance in agriculture, manufacturing and other non-oil sectors. A part of this vision must be to take advantage of the transitory oil wealth, to help build a much broader base of growth, including by endorsing the criteria of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
· What does all this mean for the World Bank’s engagement in Sudan?
Ø We will sustain and strengthen our support. At the time of the 2005 Oslo conference we had one staff member in Sudan; now we have 43. However, we cannot be complacent. We will continue to scale up staffing in Khartoum and Juba, to ensure that implementation support to the various projects is timely and effective.
Ø We will focus our analytical work on key knowledge gaps, including on public expenditure management, the investment climate and new approaches to delivering basic services. And, as several donors have stressed, we are ready to take a lead in policy dialogue where we have the expertise and skills.
Ø We are prepared to continue our support for the Darfur JAM when the time is right.
Ø We will continue to promote partnership among all actors—building on the Paris Agenda. Money will only bear fruit, if it is complemented by strong partnership between Sudan and the international community.
Ø I was pleased by the meeting’s affirmation of the role the MDTFs play. This included Minister Mawein noting he was “happy with the MDTF model”, and donors calling MDTFs an “effective instrument for donor harmonization and coordination”. Nevertheless, I appreciate the added value people hope for from the Sudan Recovery Fund as a way to support relief, while the MDTFs continue to focus on longer-term development activities. To strengthen this arrangement, we will continue to sharpen our operations under the MDTFs to deliver knowledge where it is wanted, expand attention to State level, and follow the lead and vision of government.
· In closing:
Ø We welcome the strong show of support for Sudan’s efforts from donor pledges totaling $ 4.8 billion, in particular the proposed contributions to the MDTFs of about $ 650 million.
Ø My profound thanks to Norway for hosting this meeting and to the UN for the very strong collaboration between us in organizing it.
Ø Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, colleagues,
whatever we decide here in Oslo ultimately needs to show up in results across Sudan. It needs to show in terms of better livelihoods for the market trader in Kassala, the farmer in Equatoria, and the children and students in Juba and Khartoum. They all must be able to directly experience the results of our efforts. The people of Sudan deserve our full support. We cannot allow ourselves to forget that.