South Sudan peace deal lagging behind agreed timelines – peace monitors

JUBA – South Sudan’s peace monitors said on Tuesday that the country’s revitalized peace agreement signed by President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny in 2018 is lagging behind agreed timelines.

Speaking during the opening session of the 5^th Governors’ Forum in Juba on Tuesday, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) Interim Chairperson Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai said the pace of implementation of the 2018 peace deal is slow and time is running out with critical tasks lagging behind the agreed timelines.

“Over the last three years since the R-ARCSS was signed, some peace dividends have been realized across the country, but much remains to be done. Within the current timelines of the R-ARCSS, we have barely 15 months until the end of the Transitional Period and yet some very critical tasks remain outstanding,” Gituai said.

Gen. Gituai said despite progress in some thematic areas, challenges persist.

Gen. Gituai urged the government to fast-track ratification of all the approved bills, including the Permanent Constitution-Making Process Bill 2021, as well as finalize the nominations and the establishment of the ad-hoc Judicial Reform Committee.

“Make financial resources available for the completion of the Transitional Security Arrangements, including graduation and redeployment of unified forces, as well as for DDR programs,” he said.

He stressed the need to urgently resolve the outstanding issues of the ratio of the unified forces and unified command structure of the Necessary Unified Forces.

“Expedite the establishment of the Board of the Special Reconstruction Fund, in collaboration with the partners; expedite all the reforms required in Chapter 4, including the National Audit Chamber and the Anti-Corruption Commission; and fast-track implementation of Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 of the Peace Agreement,” he said.