JUBA – Members of South Sudan’s Transitional Council of States have appealed to the parties to the revitalized peace agreement, notably President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny, to speed up the implementation of the security sector reforms, constitutional making processes as well as population census.
The call came at the end of a three-day training organized by the Center for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice (CIGPJ) in partnership with the United Nation Mission in Sudan (UNMISS) and South Sudan Women Empowerment Network (SSWEN) for about 60 Council of States lawmakers.
The training aimed at identifying and analyzing key priorities for Council of States in the implementation of the peace deal, including governance structures, constitution development, transitional justice, censors and elections. It equipped Council of States MPs with leadership, mediation, negotiations, advocacy, communication and networking skills
Speaking at the closure of the training in Juba on Saturday, the deputy speaker of the Council of States, Mary Ayen Majok, lauded the lawmakers for the resilience demonstrated during the training.
“The Center for Inclusive Governance Peace and Justice should conduct more of such similar trainings involving participation of all members of the Council of States,” she said.
Held under the theme, “Capacity Strengthening for Sustainable Peace”, the training attracted lawmakers, partners, legal, gender, communication and political science experts.
Jackline Nasiwa, the Executive Director for CIGPJ, lauded the Council of State lawmakers for coming up with concreted resolutions at the end of the three-day training.
“Members of the Council of States, the lower house of the assembly, play critical roles in the implementation of the peace deal,” she said.
Nasiwa, however, stressed that roles of Council of State members in the peace agreement implementation should be clearly spelt out.
Aldo Ajou Deng, a Council of States lawmaker, said they are committed to the implementation of the revitalized peace accord.
“The parties to the revitalized peace agreement should involve the participation of the Council of State members in the implementation of the peace deal,” he remarked.
The group also appealed to all parties to the revitalized peace agreement to clearly define the role of Council of States members in the implementation of the accord that ended nearly five-years of civil war.
The Council of States was established in 2011 by South Sudan’s interim constitution. The reconstituted assembly currently consists of 100 legislators.
