Aweil, August 26, 2022 — The National Transformational Leadership Institute (NTLI), with support from the UNDP-PaCC project, successfully conducted a three-day training on transformational leadership, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding for local government officials in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal (NBG) State. The training took place from August 24th to 26th, 2022, bringing together participants from all five counties: Aweil North, Aweil South, Aweil East, Aweil West, and Aweil Center.
The sessions attracted a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives from the CRRC, Women’s Association, Ministry of Peacebuilding, Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, local government officials, executive directors, director generals, Aweil Municipality, and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC).
Key topics addressed included transformational leadership, conflict management, peacebuilding, and social cohesion. Participants emphasized the urgent need for similar training across all five counties to strengthen local governance and administrative capacity.
During the discussions, several recurring challenges were highlighted. Cattle theft remains a major trigger for conflicts, while tensions with Misseria herders continue to cause friction among communities. Political mistrust, often fueled by party divisions, was also cited as a barrier to unity. Even informal greetings such as “woyeeh” were described as political markers linked to SPLM affiliations, further deepening divisions.
Concerns were raised about the marginalization of women in leadership roles, with many women selected for participation lacking basic literacy skills, limiting their effective engagement in such training. Participants also reported cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and strongly advocated for specialized training to address GBV issues comprehensively.
The participants concluded by recommending extended leadership training for administrative staff, suggesting programs that last from one week to a month or longer to ensure meaningful capacity building.