The chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) on Thursday said there is so much vagueness about the position of the signatories to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement regarding the election slated for December 2024.
Amb. Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai speaking at the Commission’s 36th monthly plenary in Juba gave a detailed status of implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
“Very little clarity exists regarding the position of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) and Parties over the conduct of elections as scheduled,” he stated. “Critical election-related tasks remain outstanding and time is fast running out.”
On the permanent constitution-making process, Amb Gituai said: “The making of ‘a people led, and people owned permanent constitution’ within the Transitional Period is one of the cardinal promises made by the Parties to the Revitalized Peace Agreement to the people of South Sudan and this constitutional moment should not be lost.”
He recommended that the transitional government continue the sustained inter-party dialogue in a collegial manner, build consensus amongst the Parties and the stakeholders on the way forward on elections, and provide regular updates to the public on the progress of the dialogue
“The RTGoNU continue to avail the requisite resources and logistics to the Agreement institutions and mechanisms to enable them to discharge their mandates, fast-track the passing of all pending bills, and operationalize those already enacted by the TNLA,” he recommended. “And complete the unification of the mid-level command echelon, redeployment of the unified forces, and commence Phase II, and DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration).”
The RJMEC chairperson underscored the importance of continuously implementing the R-ARCSS tasks, irrespective of the ongoing inter-party dialogue and the Nairobi talks.
“Much work remains to be done and no time should be lost going forward,” Amb. Gituai concluded.