R-JMEC endorses two-year extension of South Sudan’s transitional period

JUBA – The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) has endorsed a two-year extension of South Sudan’s transitional period, as agreed upon by President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Riek Machar.

The extension, which moves the transitional period from February 2025 to February 2027, and postpones the elections from December 2024 to December 2026, was agreed upon during a meeting between the two main signatories to the revitalized peace agreement at the presidency last Friday.

Under the terms of the revitalized peace agreement, any amendments to the agreement, signed in September 2018, must be approved by the R-JMEC and submitted to the transitional parliament for endorsement.

Following the announcement of the extension, R-JMEC had seven days to give its approval.

In the vote held today in Juba, at least 35 members supported the extension, while 7 opposed. Four members, including representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway, abstained, and one unidentified member was absent.

Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai, Chairperson of the peace-monitoring body, confirmed that the vote met the two-thirds majority required by the 2018 peace deal.

“In accordance with the powers vested in me as Chairperson of RJMEC, pass 1 to Article 2.1.3 and 2.1.4 of RJMEC Terms of Reference, 2018, Rule 4.3 and 4.2 of the RJMEC Rules of Procedure, 2018. I, Ambassador-General Charles Tai Gituai, Interim Chairperson of RJMEC, hereby declare the decision of RJMEC as 35 consented and 7 did not consent. So, the situation is that the members of RJMEC have consented to the extension,” Gituai said.

The recent postponement of the December 2024 elections has drawn criticism from election observers. Dr. Sarah Bireete, Chairperson of the Global Network for Democratic Election Monitors (GNDEM), expressed concerns on Tuesday.

“This keeps the country in a permanent election mode. It’s not good for development, and it’s not good for the people,” Bireete said during an event marking International Democracy Day in Juba yesterday.

South Sudan’s presidency had claimed that the delay of the general elections, which would be the first of its kind since independence, was due to lack of funding and that the extension aims to allow time to complete critical processes.

These, the presidency said, including a population census, the drafting of a permanent constitution, and the registration of political parties.