UN mission worried continuing delays in peace implementation may push elections beyond timeline

JUBA – The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has said that it is worried that continued delays in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement may push further, beyond the agreed timeline, elections due for 2023.

The UNMISS concerns were raised by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the world mission David Shearer during a briefing to the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday via a video conference.

“There is a growing disillusionment amongst communities about whether the political will exists to allow South Sudanese citizens to choose their leaders during the elections,” Shearer stated Wednesday.

He cited slow progress on the critical area of security sector reform and that forces are abandoning camps because of food and other shortages. The UN envoy said urgent momentum is needed from international and regional bodies to pressure the signatories to implement the peace deal.

He said despite the call by IGAD heads of state in July, the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly is yet to be reconstituted saying necessary new laws are not being passed and progress on the constitution has been delayed.

Shearer said that this year, seven aid workers have tragically lost their lives and another 144 have been evacuated because of sub-national violence in the country.

He alleged that external political actors are fueling local conflicts by soliciting weapons to the local communities.

Shearer said that from January to July, the UNMISS documented 575 incidents of sub-national violence which include the killing of 600 people in Jonglei State and kidnapping of women and children.

He accused the government of blocking the UNMISS deployment of Peacekeepers along the Juba-Yei and Juba- Nimule roads despite the earlier agreements for the deployment.

He said that UNMISS is looking at innovative ways of deploying our troops to overcome the challenging environment, like river Nile patrols, rapid air transport, and all-terrain vehicles.