A leading South Sudanese civil society organization has commended the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) for working quickly to meet deadlines for the implementation of the peace agreement.

JMEC is an international group including the warring parties which is mandated to oversee implementation of the peace agreement. JMEC is led by former Botswana President Festus Mogae.

The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) said that work by all parties is highly needed to establish a transitional government of national unity by 22 January of 2016, as JMEC has proposed.

Edmund Yakani, CEPO's executive director, said that the JMEC meeting held yesterday between the parties in Juba facilitated the selection of ministerial portfolios for the transitional government.

"Making the JMEC recent plan of action realized will be the first achievement that will motivate the citizens to own the peace agreement," Yakani said.

CEPO said there is no time to waste since so little was done in the previous four months. The group urged JMEC to keep the public informed about every single step made in the implementation of the peace, and to ensure the process is inclusive of all stakeholders.