A leading South Sudanese civil society organization is calling on IGAD and UN Security Council to ensure the timely deployment of the Regional Protection Force (RFP) with a clear mandate to protect civilians, political figures, national installations, allow humanitarian access, and deter violation of ceasefire agreement.

Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization CEPO in a statement extended to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday said the deployment of the RPF is an essential step in realizing smooth and timely implementation of the peace agreement.

IGAD heads of states in its 33^rd Extra-Ordinary Summit held on 12^th September 2018, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, resolved to push for the full deployment of the RPF to execute its mandate.

“Presence of effective RPF on the ground will greatly contribute in nurturing trust and confidence among the parties to the peace accord and further, it empowers the citizen’s ownership of the peace accord,” he said.

CEPO further urged the signatories to the peace agreement to avoid politicizing and downplaying the importance of the RPF stressing that “the presence of an effective RPF on the ground will greatly contribute in nurturing trust and confidence among the parties to the peace accord and further, it empowers the citizen’s ownership of the peace accord.”