The chairman of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), on Tuesday, while addressing the United Nations Security Council, said that with about 18 months to the end of the extended Transitional Period of the peace agreement, key benchmarks need to be attained for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.
Amb. Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai outlined the key benchmarks as the completion of the unification and redeployment of forces, the reconstitution and operationalization of the institutions tasked with the preparation and conduct of elections, and the making of a people-led and people-owned Permanent Constitution to guide the conduct of elections.
The other benchmarks are judicial reforms and improvement to the overall political and civic space in which multiparty elections are conducted.
Amb. Gituai underscored that the revitalized peace agreement legitimizes South Sudan’s Transitional Government of National Unity and remains the most plausible blueprint for a peaceful transition and building enduring peace in the country.
“With the prospect of elections looming, there is a need for our collective efforts to focus on South Sudan at this critical time and ensure that the Agreement is implemented in letter and spirit,” he said. “The Transitional Government requires more support from the Council and the international community to complete the implementation of the critical pending tasks of the Agreement.”
“Without predictable and adequate funding, our assessment is that South Sudan will continue to struggle to adhere to the implementation schedule of the Agreement,” Amb. Gituai added.
He noted that trust deficit among the Parties, lack of adequate resources, capacity gaps, persistent levels of intercommunal violence in the states, negative activities of the holdout groups, and natural calamities like floods have slowed down progress in the effective implementation of the Agreement.
“Most recently, additional strain has been placed on humanitarian and other resources in South Sudan by the influx of refugees and returnees from the conflict in the Republic of Sudan,” Gituai said. “RJMEC’s objective and impartial reports, and all-inclusive stakeholders monthly plenary meetings, continue to inspire confidence in the peace process and encourage the Parties to stay the course for peace, help create focus, unity of purpose and informs policy decision making on South Sudan and the implementation of the Agreement.”
The RJMEC appealed to the Security Council to remain seized of the peace process in South Sudan, engage the unity government to expedite implementation of the peace agreement and conduct elections as scheduled. He also urged them to consider visiting Juba during the preparations for the elections and to stand in solidarity with the people of South Sudan.