South Sudan’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs met with the British Ambassador to South Sudan on Tuesday to discuss judicial reform, the development of an effective justice system, and the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement. The talks centered on how the United Kingdom can support South Sudan in these efforts.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, David Ashley, the British Ambassador to South Sudan, noted that South Sudan inherited certain aspects of the British legal and judicial system, making the partnership a natural fit.
“This is a long-term effort to build capacity, not only within the judicial system but also in the prison system, the police, and beyond,” he said. “While significant work has been done to establish legislation, the challenge lies in implementing it effectively. This was a key point of discussion, and it’s something we will consider moving forward.”
Ambassador Ashley emphasized that the meeting also addressed the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement, particularly elements under the purview of the Ministry of Justice, such as judicial reform, constitutional reform, and transitional justice.
“From a personal perspective, having worked on transitional justice in other countries, it’s important to assess where South Sudan stands and what remains to be done to realize the transitional justice components of the agreement,” he said. “We also discussed what needs to be achieved during the two-year extension of the agreement to fulfill the commitments made.”
Joseph Malek Arop, the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, said the meeting focused on three critical issues: the status of the peace agreement’s implementation, human rights concerns across the country, and capacity building.
“The Honourable Minister of Justice assured the ambassador of the government’s commitment to implementing the peace agreement in both letter and spirit,” Malek said. “However, we face significant challenges and are seeking capacity building and technical support to overcome them.”