Entitled "Good platform for consensus building for enhancing local government and effective delivery," the forum drew representatives of the state government, UN Development Programme (UNDP), civil society and non-governmental organizations, in addition to the three county commissioners.
In opening remarks, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan Jasbir Singh Lidder praised the state government for organizing the event and encouraged participants to reach out more to their respective constituents.
"People are looking forward to effective delivery," said Mr. Lidder. "They want to see the peace dividend now."
The forum focused on planning and budgeting at the county level and the contribution county authorities could make to preparations for next year's referendum.
Ganiyu Ipaye of the UNDP's Conflict Prevention and Recovery Unit described the forum as a mechanism for improving coordination and cooperation among various government agencies in the state.
Closing the event, Western Bahr El-Ghazal State Minister of Physical Infrastructure Juliet Raphael Michael called on the commissioners to make food security a top priority in 2011.
"For sure, the issue of food security is an essential issue whatsoever the result of the referendum is," she said. "It is a responsibility of the commissioners to make sure that they encourage the community to cultivate as much as possible to at least have some food sustainability."
The forum was organized by the state's Ministry of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agencies in partnership with the UNDP's Democratic Governance Unit.
