SSOA says only 10% of peace deal implemented, seeks inter-party dialogue on elections

JUBA – The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), a coalition of eight political and military organizations, has slammed the slow implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement and called for urgent dialogue among the signatories.

The SSOA, in a position paper dated July 2, 2024, and released yesterday, said that only 10% of the agreement’s activities have been completed, citing findings by the high-level committee tasked with assessing the implementation of the deal.

“The High-Level Standing Committee has concluded its evaluation of the status of implementation of the Roadmap on Monday 1 July 2024. It concluded that 10% of the total 171 activities have been completed, 33% ongoing and 57% pending. These findings are to guide the Parties to R-ARCSS on the way forward,” said the statement signed by SSOA leader Josephine Lagu.

The statement did not specify the remaining percentages categorized as “ongoing” or “pending.”

SSOA said it in February this year submitted its recommendations on both the implementation of the peace agreement and the conduct of elections.

However, the group expressed frustration at the lack of dialogue among the signatories. With elections looming in December, the SSOA highlighted critical unanswered questions regarding the feasibility of holding them on schedule.

“SSOA leadership shared this position with H.E. the President when they met him on Monday 26 February 2024. There has never been any dialogue between the Parties since then. The findings of the HLSC have reinforced the need and urgency for dialogue between the Parties,” the documents said.

The opposition alliance emphasized the need for clarity on the path forward, particularly regarding elections. They raised questions such as critical tasks to be completed before elections, potential postponement of tasks to a post-transitional government, and the nature of elections within the remaining timeframe.

The statement questioned the duration of any extension, the mechanisms that would ensure implementation of previously delayed tasks, and how to address public anxieties over potential attempts to indefinitely extend the transitional period simply to maintain the current power structure.

“These are serious concerns that require honest and sincere dialogue among the Parties to arrive at a consensus that can take us together forward. There should be no doubt as to who shall participate in the dialogue,” it said.

“These are the signatory parties to R-ARCSS, for they are the ones that can initiate an amendment of the same on the strength of Article 8.4 of the agreement. Once dialogue is accepted SSOA will present its position on the procedures of the exercise,” it added,

The SSOA’s statement comes a week after senior members of the high-level committee told Sudans Post that they have proposed extending the transitional period by 24 months, delaying elections at least through December 2026.