Summary

In response to a request contained in Economic and Social Council resolution 2011/43, the present report describes the achievements of and the challenges faced by the United Nations system in supporting, in an integrated, coherent and coordinated way, the Government of South Sudan during the 10 months since the independence of that new country. The report analyses the innovative mechanisms and tools used to ensure the transition from emergency relief to development and to build local capacities, in line with national priorities. It also highlights the unpredictable and changeable nature of the transition as a result of political and security considerations that, at the time of reporting, had led to major cuts in public spending and rapid change in the prioritization and sequencing of United Nations support. The report concludes with recommendations on how development actors can adjust their assistance in order to maximize, in a very difficult and unpredictable context, its potential to benefit a population that remains in dire need of both humanitarian and development support.