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[00:00.000 --> 00:04.260]  The United States, in addition to USAID, our Center for Disease Control, our United States
[00:04.260 --> 00:11.620]  Center for Disease Control, is also very, very engaged in working with South Sudan to
[00:11.620 --> 00:13.420]  address the HIV AIDS challenge.
[00:13.420 --> 00:19.220]  There are many southern Sudanese out, like we take, for example, United States, highly
[00:19.220 --> 00:23.060]  trained medics that can contribute to this nation building.
[00:23.060 --> 00:24.060]  Yes.
[00:24.060 --> 00:28.780]  In terms of linkages and developing human resources down here, what is the agents doing
[00:28.780 --> 00:29.780]  about these?
[00:29.780 --> 00:30.780]  Yeah.
[00:30.780 --> 00:34.620]  Well, you're right, and that's a tremendous resource for this country.
[00:34.620 --> 00:40.260]  In my short time here, I've had the good fortune of meeting several of what we call the diaspora,
[00:40.260 --> 00:46.140]  and these are really terrific people who studied in the U.S., who were living there, who probably
[00:46.140 --> 00:50.020]  could have continued their lives there, but they said, it's time to go back and to lend
[00:50.020 --> 00:52.980]  a hand, and we work with them.
[00:52.980 --> 00:59.020]  I was just at an event the other day where we were, it was a health event, and there was a gentleman
[00:59.020 --> 01:03.420]  there who was a, I believe he's a director general from the Ministry of Health, and I
[01:03.420 --> 01:06.820]  told him I was from New Jersey in the United States, and he said, I've been to New Jersey.
[01:06.820 --> 01:10.260]  He told me that he had lived in the United States, he'd been educated there, but he has
[01:10.260 --> 01:14.740]  come back to help his country address these health challenges.
[01:14.740 --> 01:20.500]  I've met others like him, and I can only say that it's very gratifying to work with them,
[01:20.500 --> 01:26.740]  that they're extremely effective and committed to development in this country, and they're
[01:26.740 --> 01:32.740]  just a great resource for South Sudan as it moves ahead with facing these great challenges
[01:32.740 --> 01:37.940]  of nation-building, of development, and really of taking its rightful place amongst the community
[01:37.940 --> 01:43.900]  of peaceful nations that want to see better lives for their families and for their communities.
[01:43.900 --> 01:49.220]  But is the agent has some scheme of maybe recruiting back these southern nationals who
[01:49.220 --> 01:54.740]  are United States to come and contribute, because there is a need of many development
[01:54.740 --> 02:01.340]  projects in agriculture, health, education, economic growth, and infrastructure, too.
[02:01.340 --> 02:06.340]  Yeah, that's a great point, and let me start by saying that, just to give you an idea of
[02:06.340 --> 02:13.940]  how important the presence of South Sudanese are in terms of USAID's projects and our mission
[02:13.940 --> 02:21.700]  here, our offices here, there are probably, oh, I don't know, 20 Americans in the USAID
[02:21.700 --> 02:26.860]  mission in Juba right now, and there's probably 60, 70 South Sudanese.
[02:26.860 --> 02:32.500]  So you can see that when we come to a place like South Sudan, we immediately reach out
[02:32.500 --> 02:40.580]  to some of these experts, and they become our colleagues and our partners, and we rely
[02:40.580 --> 02:45.140]  on them really to do smart investments that can really help development.
[02:45.140 --> 02:50.580]  In terms of bringing people back, we can and we are looking at new projects that we have
[02:50.580 --> 02:58.860]  coming online, how we can increase the, how we can maybe recalibrate some of our hiring
[02:58.860 --> 03:03.700]  procedures to bring in people from the United States and from other countries who bring
[03:03.700 --> 03:09.720]  that great human capacity and that tremendous skill set, and that patriotism, you know,
[03:09.720 --> 03:11.260]  those are a wonderful combination.
[03:11.260 --> 03:16.380]  So we are looking for ways to recalibrate some of our project hiring procedures to ensure
[03:16.380 --> 03:18.780]  that we can make good use and leverage that asset.
[03:18.780 --> 03:24.420]  Are you happy with governance and democracy in South Sudan, in this new nation?
[03:24.420 --> 03:31.340]  Well, I can say that the governance challenges are really tremendous.
[03:31.340 --> 03:38.780]  The country's only four months old, barely four months old, and building effective institutions,
[03:38.780 --> 03:41.940]  transparent and accountable institutions is a challenge anywhere.
[03:41.940 --> 03:47.980]  It was a challenge in the United States 200 years ago when we began our history, and it
[03:47.980 --> 03:50.540]  will certainly be a challenge for South Sudan.
[03:50.540 --> 03:57.860]  USAID is absolutely a key partner with the government of South Sudan on issues of governance,
[03:57.860 --> 03:59.820]  institution building, transparency.
[03:59.820 --> 04:04.500]  We provided assistance for the Public Financial Management Act, which is in draft right now
[04:04.500 --> 04:06.420]  and the government is considering it.
[04:06.420 --> 04:12.260]  But it's a law that would provide a legal framework that is amongst world standards
[04:12.260 --> 04:16.820]  in terms of proper financial management, proper budgeting, transparency, accountability, et
[04:16.820 --> 04:17.820]  cetera.
[04:17.820 --> 04:20.900]  Now, of course, it's the South Sudanese decision, it's the government's decision, the National
[04:20.900 --> 04:24.980]  Assembly's decision on what to do with that law, and that's a sovereign decision that
[04:24.980 --> 04:25.980]  we respect.
[04:25.980 --> 04:32.420]  We gave our best advice on it, but now it will run its course in terms of your government's
[04:32.420 --> 04:34.660]  processes.
[04:34.660 --> 04:39.860]  We will not only support the legal framework, but once the law gets passed, and currently
[04:39.860 --> 04:50.580]  we support the creation of good systems to manage public funds, good systems for accountability,
[04:50.580 --> 04:55.140]  for transparency that we're helping the Ministry of Finance with, and those systems will become,
[04:55.140 --> 05:01.820]  we hope, the standard systems that South Sudan institutions will use to manage their funds.
[05:01.820 --> 05:06.760]  What system are you putting in?
[05:06.760 --> 05:12.860]  These are simple systems that incorporate the proper checks and balances that one needs
[05:12.860 --> 05:21.660]  when they manage public funds, and these are checks and balances that also incorporate
[05:21.660 --> 05:26.140]  a strong dose of transparency so that citizens can see what their government is doing.
[05:26.140 --> 05:31.860]  That's critical to good governance, that's critical to democratic nation building, and
[05:31.860 --> 05:33.980]  USAID is absolutely part and parcel of that.
[05:33.980 --> 05:38.900]  A key component of this also is IT systems that simplify the budget process and training
[05:38.900 --> 05:43.140]  the South Sudanese staff so that they can understand the system, understand the checks
[05:43.140 --> 05:48.900]  and balances, use the information technology, and begin to plan budgets and execute budgets
[05:48.900 --> 05:51.700]  in a more transparent, accountable way.
[05:51.700 --> 05:56.260]  Is there transparency and good management of resources here?
[05:56.260 --> 06:03.260]  I think the government's working on it, and I mean, again, I think it's a challenge.
[06:03.260 --> 06:08.980]  I think without a legal framework and I think without proper systems, I think there's always
[06:08.980 --> 06:09.980]  risks there.
[06:09.980 --> 06:14.540]  There's risks anywhere, not just in South Sudan, but anywhere in the world, I think.
[06:14.540 --> 06:19.300]  Citizens demand of their government transparency and accountability, and you need a legal framework,
[06:19.300 --> 06:26.140]  and you need proper systems, and you need human capacity, and you need a trained staff
[06:26.140 --> 06:27.620]  to be able to make it all work.
[06:27.620 --> 06:30.380]  I think South Sudan has made a commitment to that.
[06:30.380 --> 06:34.100]  When I listen to your leaders, they talk about that commitment often, and we want to help
[06:34.100 --> 06:39.140]  them turn those words into actions, and we want to help them bring the legal framework,
[06:39.140 --> 06:45.140]  bring the systems, and bring the human capacity necessary to build this good transparency
[06:45.140 --> 06:46.140]  and this good governance.
[06:46.140 --> 06:53.460]  From your own thought, looking at the foreign policy of the USA or United States, and looking
[06:53.460 --> 06:58.140]  at the foreign policy of South Sudan, does that one conquer with development of rented
[06:58.140 --> 07:04.060]  programs?
[07:04.060 --> 07:08.340]  I think we're in a moment, I think we're in a critical moment right now.
[07:08.340 --> 07:12.140]  I arrived here only four days after independence, right?
[07:12.140 --> 07:19.020]  So this is all a very new experience for South Sudan and for the international community.
[07:19.020 --> 07:24.980]  I was struck by the buoyant sentiment that I felt and the happiness that I felt by the
[07:24.980 --> 07:32.820]  people that I met here in Juba about this hard-won independence.
[07:32.820 --> 07:35.580]  That moment has passed.
[07:35.580 --> 07:41.020]  The sentiment is still there, and that's a wonderful resource to capitalize on, right?
[07:41.020 --> 07:47.040]  But certainly the hard decisions and the challenges of governing lie ahead.
[07:47.040 --> 07:53.020]  We stand ready as committed partners to help this government and to help the people of
[07:53.020 --> 07:56.620]  South Sudan to address those challenges.
[07:56.620 --> 08:03.620]  There will be a conference in Washington, D.C., in December, whereby South Sudan will
[08:03.620 --> 08:09.700]  meet with leaders from the United States and from all over the world to talk about some
[08:09.700 --> 08:15.660]  of these very challenges and to talk about a strategic development agenda.
[08:15.660 --> 08:18.500]  We feel very optimistic about that exercise.
[08:18.500 --> 08:24.740]  We believe that we're all coming to that with a level of seriousness and a level of commitment
[08:24.740 --> 08:28.940]  to address these challenges, make the right decisions so that South Sudan's future is
[08:28.940 --> 08:30.780]  a bright one.
[08:30.780 --> 08:37.100]  And again, we've had 50 years of support with USAID, and we're committed to continue that
[08:37.100 --> 08:40.300]  support with South Sudan and with other nations around the world.
[08:40.300 --> 08:46.580]  What experience can you share from being in South Sudan in terms of the program of USAID?
[08:46.580 --> 08:49.420]  I had a good experience just last week.
[08:49.420 --> 08:50.580]  We were out in Jongle State.
[08:50.580 --> 08:58.260]  We were in Boer, and we were handing over five speedboats, small, simple speedboats,
[08:58.260 --> 09:02.260]  to county commissioners and county officials who live up and down the Nile River and other
[09:02.260 --> 09:08.700]  rivers in Jongle State to help them, again, extend the reach of the state, stay in close
[09:08.700 --> 09:15.060]  contact with their communities as a way of mitigating conflict.
[09:15.060 --> 09:19.740]  And what I liked about that, frankly, was that those boats weren't USAID's idea.
[09:19.740 --> 09:24.220]  Those boats came from those county commissioners who said, you know, I want to try to mitigate
[09:24.220 --> 09:29.380]  conflict in my area, but there really are no roads, so I have access problems.
[09:29.380 --> 09:31.100]  But what about using the river more?
[09:31.100 --> 09:34.500]  What about making better use of the river to move around our region?
[09:34.500 --> 09:38.280]  And it's that kind of development that we love to support in USAID.
[09:38.280 --> 09:47.300]  We love it when, you know, our modest investments can support local ideas, local initiatives,
[09:47.300 --> 09:52.940]  local energy, and really help find those local champions who have good ideas on how to solve
[09:52.940 --> 09:55.860]  their problems, and we want to partner with those people.
[09:55.860 --> 10:00.500]  And I feel like, and I hope that that's what we did last week in Boer and in Jongle State
[10:00.500 --> 10:04.660]  with the state government, with the state ministry of decentralization, and with these
[10:04.660 --> 10:05.660]  county commissioners.
[10:05.660 --> 10:06.660]  So...
[10:06.660 --> 10:07.660]  Infrastructure?
[10:07.660 --> 10:09.700]  You are constructing the highway, Jubanimule Road.
[10:09.700 --> 10:11.420]  Yeah, no, that's an important one.
[10:11.420 --> 10:16.780]  Will there be some, the same being done in other places?
[10:16.780 --> 10:23.660]  Well, we do have some road plans in addition to the Jubanimule Road.
[10:23.660 --> 10:28.740]  The Jubanimule Road, we're planning to finish it in the next 12 months.
[10:28.740 --> 10:32.700]  We work very closely with the Ministry of Roads on this.
[10:32.700 --> 10:33.700]  It's important.
[10:33.700 --> 10:40.260]  It's important for access, for safety.
[10:40.260 --> 10:42.700]  It's important for economic integration.
[10:42.700 --> 10:49.060]  It's important to help this country get more engaged economically with its neighbors.
[10:49.060 --> 10:53.260]  It can really spur economic development and job growth and those kinds of things.
[10:53.260 --> 10:56.000]  And that's our hope for the Jubanimule Road.
[10:56.000 --> 10:58.700]  We have some smaller road investments planned.
[10:58.700 --> 11:03.340]  Mostly feeder roads to connect, to help connect farmers to markets because this country has
[11:03.340 --> 11:05.820]  incredible agricultural potential.
[11:05.820 --> 11:10.380]  And we are currently working in the agricultural sector.
[11:10.380 --> 11:14.780]  And we have, we've supported roads in the past.
[11:14.780 --> 11:18.420]  We continue to support them today and our support will continue.
[11:18.420 --> 11:22.260]  I don't know if it will continue at the same level as the Jubanimule Road.
[11:22.260 --> 11:24.880]  That really is a high capital investment.
[11:24.880 --> 11:26.620]  This country has oil.
[11:26.620 --> 11:29.300]  It has tremendous revenue from oil.
[11:29.300 --> 11:37.180]  And we're helping this country to A, market oil so that they can ensure that the public
[11:37.180 --> 11:39.180]  finances are healthy.
[11:39.180 --> 11:47.500]  And we're also helping South Sudan to think through options for saving oil revenues for
[11:47.500 --> 11:49.980]  the future and for investing oil revenues.
[11:49.980 --> 11:53.820]  And that's a great source of investment for roads.
[11:53.820 --> 11:58.080]  But the roads challenge in this country is so big that I think it's beyond the scope
[11:58.080 --> 12:00.260]  of any one donor.
[12:00.260 --> 12:07.020]  We feel like we've done our part and we will continue in more modest ways.
[12:07.020 --> 12:12.300]  But we really believe and we would welcome a more concerted effort amongst the government
[12:12.300 --> 12:16.500]  of South Sudan and the international community to take on this problem because it is key
[12:16.500 --> 12:17.740]  to development.
[12:17.740 --> 12:23.020]  What is the future plan for the organization now in 2012?
[12:23.020 --> 12:24.100]  Well we continue.
[12:24.100 --> 12:31.060]  We're currently working under a Washington approved program that goes out to 2013.
[12:31.060 --> 12:33.900]  And we fully expect to continue beyond 2013.
[12:33.900 --> 12:38.140]  And we'll continue in these same areas, conflict mitigation, health, education, economic growth,
[12:38.140 --> 12:41.780]  which includes agriculture and infrastructure, and our humanitarian work.
[12:41.780 --> 12:43.620]  A pleasure having you Peter.
[12:43.620 --> 12:44.620]  Thank you very much.
[12:44.620 --> 12:46.540]  And thanks to your viewers.
[12:46.540 --> 12:47.540]  Thank you.
[12:47.540 --> 12:48.540]  A pleasure.
[12:48.540 --> 13:07.540]  Would that our viewers who have come to the end of this interview.