NEWS AND EVENTS

27 - 28 January 2003

Capacity Building for the Formulation of A National Sustainable Development Strategy in Sudan : First Workshop

Support ed and funded by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs - Division for Sustainable Development, the first workshop took place 27-28 January 2003 and had over 70 participants. The workshop consisted of plenary and workgroup sessions. The workshop considered five papers, sponsored by the project. These five papers were:

• Review of Sudan's assessment on the implementation on of Agenda 21, outcome of WSSD and its implications for Sudan, the new political setting including NEPAD - HCENR
• Elements of Sudan 's National Comprehensive 25-Year Strategy - by the National Council for Strategic Planning (NCSP)
• Elements of Sudan 's Poverty Reduction Strategy and the transition to a national strategy for sustainable development - by the Ministry of Finance
• Multi-stakeholder participatory approach of Sudan 's sustainable development strategy - NGO/ University of Khartoum
• Towards a national sustainable development Strategy in Sudan and its elements - HCENR and the NCSP

The above five papers and the discussions both in plenary and working groups provided the framework for the formulation of NSDS. The Workshop also came up with recommendations that helped to organize the Second Workshop and move forward the NSDS process. These recommendations were:

• there is need to design modalities for public participation. Such modality should include different levels of dialogue starting with a general dialogue among experts to assess of the current situation then add inputs from the general public.
• The preparation of the strategy needs to follow cross-sectoral approach that helps to integrate and harmonize sectoral strategies in a holistic manner. In particular, the NSDS should integrate and build synergy among the long term strategic plan being developed by the National Council for Strategic Planning, the National Poverty Reduction Strategy and the convention oriented strategies developed by the Government, i.e., the National Action Plan to Combat Desertification (NAP), the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, the Strategy on Control climate change, the Forest Conservation and Agricultural development strategies.
• The national sustainable development strategy must emphasize the need for good governance.
• The National Strategic Planning Council (NCSP) be the lead institution supported by the NSDS coordinating and steering committees mentioned above.
• Some seven sectoral teams be formed to assess the current situation in each sector, identify problems and formulate actions to be taken.