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EU Commits €4 Million to Bolster South Sudan’s Civil Society

By Kei Emmanuel Duku

 

European Union (EU) has allocated 4 million Euros to a new project dubbed as “Strengthening the Capacity of Civil Society in South Sudan” (SUCCESS).

This initiative aims to empower civil society organizations (CSOs), community-based groups, and grassroots initiatives across the country 10 states and 3 administrative areas

EU Ambassador to South Sudan, Timo Olkkonen, said the three-year project will provide both financial and technical support to civil society organizations at grassroots and national levels, as well as their formal networks. The Ambassador emphasized the EU’s commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and encouraging innovation within South Sudan’s evolving context.

The SUCCESS project will be implemented by Mercy Corps-South Sudan in close collaboration with the Institute for Promotion of Civil Society (IPCS) and EVE Organization for Women Development. Together, the initiative plans to support over 140 CSOs.

The European Union reiterated its on-going support for Civil Society Organizations, not only through financial means but also through dialogue, technical cooperation, and shared values of peace, democracy, and human rights.

Speaking to the media during the launch, Saffea Senessie, Mercy Corps-South Sudan Country Director, provided further details. He confirmed the “Supporting Civil Society Empowerment in South Sudan” (SUCCESS) project is a four-year initiative, amounting to €4 million funded by the European Union. The project began in January 2025 and is set to conclude in December 2028. Its objective is to strengthen the capacity and influence of civil society organizations across all 10 states and three administrative areas of South Sudan.

“SUCCESS targets grassroots organizations, national NGOs, formal and informal networks, faith-based groups, both new and longstanding, through a third-party grant mechanism that provides tailored funding and technical support,” Senessie explained.

The Country Director added that the project’s goal is to build organizational strength, enhance advocacy, and promote inclusive, community-driven development to benefit local communities across South Sudan.

He acknowledged that while the world’s youngest nation continues to face significant post-conflict and governance challenges, its civil society sector plays a key role in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. However, many local organizations operate with limited resources and face structural barriers to growth.

Senessie affirmed that the SUCCESS project will address these gaps with a focus on sustainable capacity building, stronger internal governance, and increased civil society engagement.

Meanwhile, Ukubako John, Head of Program at the Institute for Promotion of Civil Society (IPCS), noted that out of the 140 target CSOs across the country, a total of 71 CSO will be selected to benefit from seed grants.

“We shall do our best to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery when selecting these CSOs that we are going to benefit,” John stated.

He appealed for cooperation among the selected CSOs to ensure the smooth implementation of the SUCCESS project.

 

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