AU urges “concrete” steps to fully implement South Sudan peace deal
September 21, 2021 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat has renewed his call for concrete steps to fully implement the Revitalized Agreement to the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
The call comes a week after South Sudan President Salva Kiir’s office announced an extension of the transitional period by two years and postponed country’s elections until December 2026.
“The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E Moussa Faki Mahamat takes note of the decision by the Government of the Republic of South Sudan to extend the transition period by two years, thus, effectively postponing the elections from December 2024 to December 2026,” partly reads the AUC chairperson’s statement.
The Chairperson further urges all stakeholders to work towards the realization of the long-awaited legitimate right and aspirations of all South Sudanese for the conduct of transparent and credible elections, thereby promoting constitutional democratic order and inclusive governance.
He also reaffirms the African Union’s strong commitment and solidarity with the Government and people of South Sudan towards the successful completion of the political transition and beyond, while urging the international community, to continue to render assistance to South Sudan.
South Sudan has formally been at peace since the 2018 agreement that ended a five-year conflict between its rival actions was signed, but violence between rival communities still occur frequently.
Britain, the United States, Norway, the European Union, Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands have already expressed their disappointment over the transitional period extension.
(ST)