South Sudan peace partners to select ministries on Wednesday
January 4, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese government and opposition factions which signed a peace agreement in August 2015 will on Wednesday select respective ministries for formation of a transitional government of national unity, an official confirmed.
“The secretariat of JMEC confirms the following schedule of implementation activities from 6 – 15 January 2016, pursuant to the Agreement to Resolve the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS),” partly reads the statement from JMEC.
“[Also on Wednesday] a meeting to select ministerial portfolios for the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) [will be held],” the statement said.
Another meeting of the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) will also take place on Wednesday to activate implementation of the security provisions in the agreement including withdrawal of government forces from Juba and deployment of joint forces composed of components from the South Sudanese army (SPLA) and the armed opposition faction of SPLA- led by former Vice-President, Riek Machar.
JMEC is a body entrusted to monitor the implementation of the peace agreement signed by president Salva Kiir, armed opposition leader, Machar, as well as former political detainees, other South Sudanese opposition parties, civil society and faith groups.
According to the peace agreement, the government will select 16 national ministries, 10 for SPLM in opposition, two for former detainees and two for other opposition political parties. There are thirty ministries that will be selected on Wednesday, including those that have deputies.
According to the released timetable, on Monday, 11 January, a second meeting of the Joint Military Ceasefire Commission (JMCC) will take place, followed by JMEC meeting on Tuesday, 12 January.
On Friday, 15 January, a first meeting of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) will be conducted.
“In addition to these meetings, the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) continues to meet and will continue to do so until the Committee’s initial tasks are complete,” JMEC said.
The Chairperson of JMEC, Mr. Festus G. Mogae, former president of the Republic of Botswana, will return to South Sudan on Wednesday, 6 January, to chair the meetings of the overseer body.
(ST)