Juba gave “lukewarm response” to peace revitalization process: UN official

October 17, 2017 (WASHINGTON) – South Sudanese government is unenthusiastic for the IGAD revitalization process as a means to end the four-year war and implement reforms in the troubled country, UN peacekeeping chief said on Tuesday.

“With regard to the Revitalization Forum announced by IGAD, the government has only given a lukewarm response,” Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), said in a monthly briefing about the situation in South Sudan.

The IGAD Council of Ministers led by Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu organised recently a series of meetings with the opposition and civil society groups in Khartoum and he personally and the Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour met with the main opposition SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar in South African to convince him to join the Forum on 4 October.

All the Council’s foreign ministers met with the President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Taban Deng Gai on 13 October get their support to the process which accepted by the opposition groups.

Lacroix told the 15-member body that Kiir and Taban “reportedly committed to support the Forum, while asking a series of clarifications on its objectives that IGAD agreed to address in writing”.

However, the French diplomat clearly said he believes that the South Sudanese government is mainly interested in the national dialogue process.

“In my view, Juba remains focused on the National Dialogue process as a vehicle to move the process towards elections with an overall aim to end the transition period,” he said.

He further explained the opposition “unwillingness” to join the internal political process saying “because of the concurrent SPLA military operations, the credibility of the process remains in question”.

The head of the peacekeeping operations said the security situation in South Sudan remains a cause for serious concern. He pointed to the ongoing clashes in the north-eastern part of the country, the Greater Upper Nile and Northern Jolglei as well as in the Greater Equatoria.

Also, he disclosed that the South Sudanese authorities continue to restrict UNMISS’ freedom of movement, preventing the mission from fulfilling its mandate which the protection of civilians and the humanitarian aid workers. He directed the same accusation to the rebel groups.

“I would, therefore, strongly urge the Security Council to pronounce itself highlighting that continued SOFA violations by the government and restrictions imposed by opposition forces are both a cause for grave concern,” he said.

In his briefing, Lacroix, updated the Security Council on the deployment of the Regional Protection Force (RPF) to the country and indicated progress in several areas of the operation.

“We expect the main body of the Rwandan infantry battalion to complete its deployment in November. The Ethiopian battalion advance party has started arriving in Juba and its deployment is expected to be completed by 20 October,” he added.

(ST)