Dhillon, Harjot

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Sustainable Development Law & PolicyVolume 16 | Issue 2 Article 6Lofty Goals in Dire Times: South Sudan'sObstacles to Achieving the New SDGsHarjot DhillonFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/sdlpPart of the Agriculture Law Commons, Constitutional Law Commons, Energy and Utilities LawCommons, Environmental Law Commons, Food and Drug Law Commons, Health Law and PolicyCommons, Human Rights Law Commons, Intellectual Property Law Commons, International LawCommons, International Trade Law Commons, Land Use Law Commons, Law and SocietyCommons, Law of the Sea Commons, Litigation Commons, Natural Resources Law Commons, Oil,Gas, and Mineral Law Commons, Public Law and Legal Theory Commons, and the Water LawCommonsThis Feature is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington College of Law Journals & Law Reviews at Digital Commons @ AmericanUniversity Washington College of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sustainable Development Law & Policy by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons @ American University Washington College of Law. For more information, please contact kclay@wcl.american.edu.Recommended CitationDhillon, Harjot (2017) "Lofty Goals in Dire Times: South Sudan's Obstacles to Achieving the New SDGs," Sustainable DevelopmentLaw & Policy: Vol. 16 : Iss. 2 , Article 6.Available at: http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/sdlp/vol16/iss2/6LOFTY GOALS IN DIRE TIMES: SOUTH SUDAN'SOBSTACLES TO ACHIEVING THE NEW SDGsBy, Harjot Dhillon *Tle seenteen Sustainable Devlopmecnt Goals (SDGs),comprised of a total of 169 target goals to be achieved by2030, span a w ide variety of problems that run the riskof wvorking against one another.1 Fu-rther, the target goals' loftyrequirements could be chiallenging for coun11tries to comuply wvith,especially niew or lcast devecloped countries.2 It is true that theglobal partnership goal would ideally provide least developedcountries (LDCs) with financial help fromn de-veloped countriesto achieve Sustainable development goals.3' However, there is nogluarantee that LD('s will obtain all of the resources they requirein timne to achieve all SDG target goals. This is because the g1apbetweenC1 Current sustainability practices and lofty SDGs willrequire increased finiances, institutional infrastructure, and othercapacity-building requirements that dev eloped countries have nobinding commritmient to prov ide. 4This Article will demnonstrate the need for LDCs to haveflexibility in achiev ing- SDG target goals to increcase participa-tion in the realmn of the SDG framework. This flexibility Nwu1lallow LD('s to prioritize basic surv ival needs for citizens ahecadof other SDG target goals. By allowving LD('s to prioritize target(goals in this way, the framnework Would be optimized to ensurelegitimacy and compliance.The food scurIity SDG is an example of a lofty goal that istoo iniflexible for LDCs to accomplish. Target goal 2.1 to "endhun11ger" in poor and vulnerable situations specifically targetsplaces in which financial aid and capacity to aid may be toodiminished to reach this goal by 2030.' It also aspires to endall malnutrition, improving growthII stunting in all children un11derage five, and prescribes that all counltries address hecalth concernsof adolescent girls, pregnant womnen, and elderly womeiun.6 Targetgoal 2.1 does not mention the existing societal context, however.This will most likely, alienate least deveCloped countries (LDCs)from- the SDG framew~ork, despite the framrework's intentions toapply to "alcountries and aill stakeholders.",South Sudan in particular will have difficulty applying all ofthe targ-et 2 goals prescribed by this framnework. In July 20 14, theUN Security Council declared the Country's current food crisisthe worst in the wkorld, w ith at least 5 0,000 children at risk ofstarvation and approximately 4,000,000 affected.' To mneet thisgoal, South Sudan must address the internal conflict that causedthe food crisis, political and economic strife, and the 1.6 millioninternally displaced persons whomn lack basic safety and shel-ter. This makes for a daunting list ofgoals for South Sudan toaccomplish by the 2030 target date.South Sudan has dealt with internal political issues sinceits inception in 2011. Indeed, the political conflict betweenpresident Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar ultimatelyled to the country's current food crisis."' Both political officialslead different ethnic groups that target civilians based on eth-nic ties.11 Numerous peace agreements have been entered andbroken, each time resuing61 In more violence that often targetsand impacts civilians. Despite having signed a peace agreementin 2015, both1 factions hav17e reneged on their relative politicalduties, accusing each other for violating the termus of the peaceagreemntt.12 As a result, manyv civilians w~ho were farmeris thatproducedI the majority of South Sudan's food were forced toflee their homies and abandon their liv elihood.1 This internaldisplacement leav es mnany South Sudanese families v ulnerableto starvation.14International humanitarian efforts alone have been unsuc-cessful in resolving the food crisis, and will likely continue to beunsuccessful in the future. The UN Office for the Coordinationof Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) South Sudan supportshumanitarian organizations in providing aid to South Sudan.1In 2014, OCHA South Sudan completed 71%1 of its fundinggoals; however, that percentage dropped in 2015 to 4201Further, South Sudan will likely face increased food iusecuritythis year. Hlunger levels are likely to increase as South Sudanexits the typically plentiful post-harvest season and enters thelean season, when food is far less plentiful."Lack of domestic and international resources to combatSouth Sudan's food insecurity is a significant obstacle to accom-plishing all other SDG targets. This is because successful sustail-ability initiatives also ensure that local communities have accessto livable conditions.9 For example, the World Wildlife Fundfound that creating long-term sustamability practices I resaddressing major health concerns of local populations SouthSudclan's food crisis is an extreme version of this reality, and thecountry requires signifiCant resources to address its food crisisbefore addressing target goals, Such as developing clean energyand promoting sustainable ecosy stemn management.2 1Harjot Dhillon is a J.D. :andidate 2017 at American Uiversi WashingCollegec o f Law.Sustainable Development Law & PolicyA,\s previouIsly indicated, one fundamental issue with theSDG framnework is a lack of suiggested prioritization. The prob-lemnatic issues of achievirng food security are not excIlusive toSouth Sudakn. Violence and economic strife are current affic-tions for other countries that are deeply conniected to food inse-curity and other issues the SDGs aimi to prevn ct."2 South Sudaniand other like countries Nwuld benefit from prioritizing goalsbecause newly sovereign countries often have little capacity andreCsources to address all SDG targets. Prioritizing goals that arethe most imperativTe allows these countries to meet their citizens'needs staying within the SDG framework.The new SDG regime doomns Countries like South Sudanfrom meeting its lofty target goals at the onset. Thus, there is aneed for a longer-termi institution, the implementation of whichiCould make these goals actually 'Sustainable' for new and devecl-oping countries. This institution could create structured steps foreach country- to take toward achievingT sustainable developmentgToals, paying attention to the fu-ndlamientals and internal stepsnewv and developing coun1tries so desperately need to address.The first step would include achievingo basic sur-vivability in thecountry. Thus, South Sudan Would need to first focus on endingits food crisis and economic strife before movingu onl to achievingcother sustainability goals with a more global impact.2Withiout a long-termi institution for Sustainable developmentas described. subsequent global goals geared toward creatingsustainable development standards may dim-inish in legitimiacyand w\ork against global sustainability efforts altogethier. Wherebasic survival is at stake, manym of the other sustainable goalscannot be achieved. With su-stainiabilityT goals running the gamnutfrom reducing inequality to su-stainably managing forests, aprioritization of the current framnework is necessary to ensure asuccessful implementation for all countries-new, developing,and developed.EgNOmS: LOFTY GOALS INDiRE Tnws: SOUT SUDA'S OBSTACLES To ACHEVNGTHE NEW SDGsSee geweally The 0Del lopmnt,UNITEDI NATIONS, http)S://SUSta7inIAbldev elopmenC1tA.unForgContent/dcu0L-111enits 2 12 52 0 30%2 0AgLeniida " o20fto r",%2)0 Susta inia blte% 2 0D ev\e Io piment0 iV( o2 0wveb1.pdf.2 See James MacCormack and Sarath Stroup, I Will DGs lofty amlbttion udeine aticidv oca cy to a ich ieve th em?1., OPE N D EM\ cRACY ( ( SepIIt. 25 , 20 15 ), htt npswww\ \.opendcemiocrac.nelt/openglolights/charles-f- maccormiiack-sarahil-stroLup/w ilIlI-sdg-s-lofty -ambit6 in-Undermnine-ad vocacy\-to-atc.See The 2030AgendallP fo Sstinbl Dveope t, supante 1 (discuSS-ingi Goal 17.2 speci fically).T~ Se id. (discuIsin means of- ImplemenJttion).See id. (cov ering goal,1 2.IV6 See id. (Covering goail 2.2).See id. (Preamble).See generailly, Southl Suidanl ' Food Crisis Worst inl the, Wor/l BBC' Naws(July 26, 20 14), htmp:/"wwwwhbcxcominew\s/w\orldl-afica-28502260.See Civ'il Wart lin Sou1th Suidan, C'OU ,,c1I N FOaRPloN RELA\TIONS (Mar. 312016), http://wiNw\cfr.org/global/ global-contlict-trackerp32 I137#!/conllict/civilrin-ot-sdn~ d.14 See 2015 1 AHCR Countriy Operations Profile South Sudian, U.N. IG(HCo(~SOE F OR REFUGEE11S, http:// wNhN \Npge/e3c46.tl15 See generally About 0CHA4 South Sudan, U NITED j NATIONS OFFIC-E FO(R THIE(CO()R1) NATIOI()N O F HUMj iAN ITA \R IAN AFFIRS \ ,, http://\www x. unioch ia. orjg/soutill- suid an/abouit-)cha-SOuthl-suLct abot-ocha-south-suidani (last v isited Mar. 18, 2016).16See Funlidingf jor OCHA, South/ Suidan,. UN IED F NATIO1(NS OFFICE FOR THECORDNAION F HUM \ANITARILAN AFFAIwLs, htp://\Nw N %Locha .org/souCLthl-sudan/oct-funding'.year-20 14. (last visited Mar. 18,' 2016).17 Se id.IISee UN Vagc ies. warnl ofca lattngf, ood crisis inl Souith Sudanil, FoiluAND AoRiC. o. OF TH UNlj\ITED NA\iTONS (Feb. 8, 20 16), http:/I wwfao.oirg/emerg-encies/fano-ini-action stories/stories-detaillenlc382544.19 sec Jlie O(glethorp et al., Healthy People, Healthy, Ecosystems: .A Manualonl Integrating HeaClth and Family Planning71, inlto Conseaion01 Pro0jec(ts. WoRLDWIVULLIF FUND, 1 (2008) http://atsets.w\ orLdwNildli fe.or g/publications/3 70/ filecsoriginal/Healthy People HealthyEcssesAMaulnjtgang.H ealth and..Famifly Planningjinto C onservation Projects.pdfl1345737357.21See The 2030 Agen7da for Suistainlable Devlopmtlil, supri'a note 1.22See Clemens Breisinger et al., C'onflict and Food Insecunrity,: How do wecbreak thec links?,- INT'L- Foon PoLICY- RESEARCHi kINS. (2014-20 15) 51, 52, hap:'!cdm15738").conitenitdmi.oclc.org/utils/getfle/collection/pl] 5738co112/ id/129073/filename/1I29284.pdf.23Further- steps may Ficlude ending hungher- and malntitfion, and afterwardsdouibling Jincomes for underr~eeented and targeted demnographics.Spring 2016

Lofty Goals in Dire Times: South Sudan\u27s Obstacles to Achieving the New SDGs

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Lofty Goals in Dire Times: South Sudan\u27s Obstacles to Achieving the New SDGs

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