Gurre me Pongdwongo: A Summary of Issues Raised, Resolution Reached, and Next Steps Overview

Gurre me Pongdwongo – the stakeholder consultation meeting designed to share the Draft Strategy Document distilled from 16 Action Papers commissioned by the Rocco Paco Initiative on various issues affecting the Acoli community – presented the vision, objectives and set of broad strategic directions for revitalizing the Acoli community to a representative cross-section of participants for review and validation.
Participants included youth, women, disabled persons, representatives from the Diaspora, the business community, elders, clan, religious, elected and appointed leaders from across the Acoli Sub-Region.
The key consultative sessions were four break-out meetings in which a series of questions regarding a proposed set of strategies were asked of participants. The resultant responses largely validated the proposed strategies. The four thematic areas and key recommendations for their achievements are as follows:

Thematic Area 1: People, Heritage & Leadership

Strategies Key Interventions

Strengthen Cultural Institutions Review and Strengthen Governance of Cultural Institutions
Review and Establish Modalities for Sustainable Financing of Cultural Institutions
Establish a Bylaws Regime for Strengthening Clan Governance
Build Values-Based Capacity of Elected and Appointed Leaders: (Ada (Truth), Deyo (Decorum), Gen (Trust), Gwok Maber (Care), Mar (Love), Mwolo (Humility), Pok Matir (Equity), Ribbe (Unity), Tic Matek (Hard Work), ki Worro (Respect)
Conserve a Rich and Strong Acoli Culture and Heritage Design and Establish Cultural Centers and Institutions for Conservation and Marketing of Practices, Artifacts and Cuisine
Restore Cultural Practices for Learning and Transmitting Culture (e.g., Wang-Oo; Abila; Etc.)
Establish an Acoli Language Bureau
Leverage Economic Benefits of Acoli Culture Establish Institutions for Development of Performance Arts
Foster Performance Arts in Communities through Cultural Troupes
Establish Annual Cultural Festivals

Thematic Area 2: Education, Health & Other Social Services

Strategies Key Interventions

Invest in Human Capital Development Revamp Key Secondary Educational Institutions as Centers of Excellence
Establish an Education Fund to Provide Scholarships
Enhance Access to Quality Health Services Provide Opportunity for Partnerships in Health Service Provision
Establish Community Health Insurance Schemes
Integrate Mental Health Services in Health Systems
Promote Good Governance & Leadership for Enhanced Social Service Delivery Establish a Bylaws Regime for Institutionalizing Preventative Health Practices in Communities
Integrate the 10 Core Values in the Governance of Social Service Delivery in Society: Ada (Truth), Deyo (Decorum), Gen (Trust), Gwok Maber (Care), Mar (Love), Mwolo (Humility), Pok Matir (Equity), Ribbe (Unity), Tic Matek (Hard Work), ki Worro (Respect)
Thematic Area 3: Natural Resources Management
Strategies Key Interventions
Sustainable Land Administration and Management Policies Measures: Ownership; Conversion; Lease and or Sale of Land; Role of Cultural Institutions in Land Management and Conservation; Establish Land Banks at Clan Level for Settlement of Vulnerable Persons and Future Economic Use; Establish a Land Advisory Body
Practical Measures: Documentation of Clan Land; Legal Representation for Clans; Establish Clan Land Trusts; Re-institute Traditional Mediation in Place of Litigation
Harness Natural Resources Management and Use Adopt Land Use Agreements in Place of Leases
Diversify Agricultural Practices to Include Agroforestry Practices
Restore Private and Communal Forests for Sequestering Carbon for Earning Carbon Credits
Institute Sustainable Charcoal Farming for Energy Security
Promote Agro-Ecology Farming Practices
Revamp/Establish Cooperatives and Commodity Exchanges
Promote Agricultural Extension Services
Royalties from Tourism and Mineral Wealth
Leverage Research, Innovation & Technology Develop Linkages for Market Information Services
Conduct Research on Product and Service Development
Embrace Technologies Appropriate to the Region’s Needs
Thematic 4: Private Sector Development, Economic Infrastructure & Services

Strategies Key Interventions

Acoli Economic Empowerment Promote Local Economic Development (Buy Acoli, Build Acoli – BABA)
Establish Local Acoli Bank for Lending & Borrowing
Revitalize Cooperatives
Establish Business Development Services (BDS) for Fostering Entrepreneurship in Acoli
Attract Investment and Promote PPPs for Development of Strategic Infrastructure Establish an Acoli Super Fund for Long-Term Investment
Develop Bankable Projects from Business Resource Mapping
Build Capacity for Investment Readiness in LGs and
Stimulate Business Growth, Innovation and Competitiveness in the Acoli Sub-Region for Sustainable Wealth Creation Improve Business Corporate Governance
Establish a Acoli Commodity Exchange
Strengthen Local Economic Development and Investment Committees (LEDICs) and Local Economic Development Fora (LED-F) in Local Governments
Low Hanging Fruits or Prioritized Initiatives
The strategic plan identified, prioritized and endorsed five key initiatives labeled ‘low hanging fruit’ for instituting quick wins for building the momentum for transformation:
Revamp Key Secondary Educational Institutions as Centers of Excellence
Establish an Education Fund to Provide Scholarships
Establish a Bylaws Regime for Clans
Initiate a Tree Planting Drive to Restore Forests for Carbon Trade and Sustainable Charcoal Farming
Establish an Acoli Language Bureau

Creating an Institutional Vehicle for Implementing the Strategies
The Rocco Paco Initiative proposed establishment of a new institutional vehicle for delivery of these strategies. The proposed vehicle will be an overarching institution coordinating a composite of institutions: our Private Sector Associations; our Local Governments; our Cultural Leaders; our Religious Leaders; and our Professional Associations (Teachers, Lawyers, Engineers, Accountants; etc.).
A technical team will establish the vehicle that coordinates all delivery mechanisms.
This Draft Strategy Document is Signed and Witnessed by the following this 29th Day of December in the Year of Our Lord 2023:
Chief Justice Alphonse Chigamoi Owiny-Dollo, Co-Chair, Rocco Paco Initiative
……………………………………………………………………………….
Ambassador Olara Otunnu, Co-Chair, Rocco Paco Initiative
……………………………………………………………………………….
Hon. Richard Todwong, Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement (NRM)
……………………………………………………………………………….
Hon. Anthony Akol, Chairperson Acoli Parliamentary Group (APG)
……………………………………………………………………………….
His Grace Archbishop John Baptist Odama, Chairperson Acoli Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI)
……………………………………………………………………………….