The East African regional bloc IGAD, in collaboration with the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC), Ceasefire & Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring & Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) and the African Union Commission (AUC), has organized a joint security mechanism workshop in Juba on Monday.
The two-day workshop, IGAD said in a statement extended to Radio Tamazuj, will focus on producing a costed work plan and matrix with specific timelines and responsibilities that conform to the agreed upon 100 days extension.
While presiding over the event on Monday, the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, Ismail Wais said the new 100 days timeframe offers another opportunity for the planning as well as the execution of pending tasks.
He urged participants to instead plan for 60 days to avoid missing deadlines due to upcoming holidays and weekends.
Wais reiterated IGAD's continued commitment and assistance in mobilising support towards the completion of the pending tasks and the overall success of the peace process in Africa’s newest nation.
Representatives from the National Pre-transitional Committee (NPTC), Joint Defence Board (JDB), Joint Transitional Security Committee (JTSC), Joint Military Ceasefire Commission (JMCC), Strategic Defence and Security Review Board (SDSR) Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (DDR Commission), the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), diplomatic missions and security experts attended the workshop.
On November 7, President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar agreed to extend the pre-transitional period by 100 days to allow for the implementation of key pending tasks, including the security arrangements and the decision on the number of states and their boundaries.