A peacebuilding project in troubled South Sudan was canceled after the Conservative government cut aid to the country by 59 percent.
The decision to cut Christian Aid’s work puts peace in South Sudan on the verge of collapse and was condemned by Sally Foster-Fulton, the director of the charity in Scotland.
The cuts come three years after a fragile peace deal that threatens to be undermined by ethnic and regional tensions triggered by Covid-19 and climate impacts.
The world’s youngest country is also facing a food crisis with more than seven million people – about 60% of South Sudan’s population – struggling to find enough food and 82% living in extreme poverty. .
The Church has so far played a key role in building peace in South Sudan and has consistently been recognized as one of the few institutions in the country with the ability and credibility to address the root causes of conflict at multiple levels.
Christian Aid’s country director for South Sudan James Wani said the cuts could have a “deadly” effect on the prospects for lasting peace.
“The Church reaches out across the country through deep local networks and has been instrumental in local peacebuilding for decades as it seeks to ensure that local voices and concerns are reflected in the sectarian process at the national level,” he said.
Christian Aid’s peace work has cost £800,000 per year over the past three years and has led the Council of South Sudanese Churches to persuade political leaders to implement the peace agreement, as well as reconciliation efforts and peacebuilding in conflict areas. has enabled us to work with charities to support Campaign against hate speech and against misinformation and propaganda about covid-19 and vaccines.
Foster-Fulton (above) said she was “bitterly disappointed” by the cuts in British aid.
“These are tough times and governments have tough choices, but balancing the books on the backs of the poor is no way to go,” she said.
“Since the start of the pandemic, many of us have realized how connected our lives are with other people around the world, our global neighbors. With the coronavirus, the struggle and Climate change With 41 million people starving in more than 40 countries, this is not the time to cut aid budgets, even if it is a “temporary” measure.
last week SNP‘s Westminster Chef Ian Blackford Boris Johnson said he should learn the truth about his proposals to get Scottish Conservative MPs their support for foreign aid cuts.
In a 2019 manifesto, conservatives explicitly committed themselves to keeping the foreign budget at 0.7% of national income, but are now slashing it to 0.5%. A total of 24 Tory lawmakers, including the former prime minister, rebelled against the proposal. theres mayo.
but six bulkheads radical Lawmakers including Douglas Ross have backed the Johnson administration and voted for a £4 billion cut.
Blackford said: “The report – publicly supported by a senior Tory official – that the government promotion offer has been “suspended” raised very serious questions before Tory lawmakers in exchange for their votes.
“I wrote to the Prime Minister to give the opportunity to categorically deny that the Scottish Conservatives’ vote was bought with promises of government jobs or negotiations to cut foreign aid.
“We are well aware of the brutal and immoral way this conservative government is run. In contrast to aid cuts at Westminster, the Scottish SNP government is increasing its International Development Fund by 50%.
Scottish custodian, which was convicted of endorsing the “unfortunate” cut, called Blackford’s comments “SNP nonsense”.
Christian Aid recently launched a global appeal against hunger centered on South Sudan, which has just celebrated its 10th anniversary as a country.
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