South Sudan hopeful as combatants troop to centres for integration

JUBA – As South Sudan welcomes 2020, there is growing hope that the long-delayed transitional government will this time be realised by February.

On December 31, the Joint Military Ceasefire Commission transported government and opposition forces to a training centre in Masana Beera, Wau State. This a major development in the implementation of the security arrangements, one of the outstanding issues.

Gen Garang Akol, head of the Joint Transitional Security Committee, issued a statement saying that the committee will supervise the screening of the unified forces which comprise all peace partners and international peace monitors.

Preparations to train the unified forces came one month after the national government allocated $16.5 million for the security mechanisms to speed up the creation of unified forces, a key requirement of the 2018 peace deal.

Voluntary returnees
Meanwhile, the two principals in the September 2018 revitalised South Sudan peace agreement, President Salva Kiir and Dr Riek Machar, agreed to form the Transitional Government of National Unity by end of the extended 100 days.

They agreed to speed up implementation of the security arrangements and establish a humanitarian fund to assist internally displaced persons and refugees who will return home voluntarily.