UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan begins talks on transitional justice

November 18, 2024 (JUBA) – Barney Afako, a member of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan started a five-day visit to the African Union in Ethiopia on Monday.

The visit by the Commission comes in the wake of President Salva Kiir’s assent to two laws in the past week, marking a significant milestone towards the establishment of a Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing, and the Reparation Authority for addressing legacies of violations and the needs of victims and survivors.

In September 2024, South Sudan’s leaders extended for another two years the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, raising concerns about their commitment to completing the political transition.

The African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are among the main guarantors of the Revitalized Agreement.

The Commission, in a statement, said Commissioner Afako and members of the Commission’s Secretariat will meet with officials of the African Union Commission, its Peace and Security Council, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They also plan engagements with the Inter-Governmental Development Authority (IGAD), regional and international diplomatic corps, and civil society and humanitarian actors.

“The African Union has a crucial role in providing political accompaniment to South Sudan, and mobilizing financial and technical support, to address the persistent delays that have impeded effective implementation of the peace agreement,” partly reads the statement extended to Sudan Tribune.

“The Commission will share its investigative findings and recommendations on the fulfillment of South Sudan’s human rights obligations, including holistic, citizen-driven, and survivor-centered implementation of transitional justice processes,” it added.

According to the Commission, while the enabling laws have now been enacted for the Truth Commission and the Reparation Authority, urgent steps are still required for establishing the Hybrid Court for South Sudan and strengthening domestic criminal justice systems.

The Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan is an independent body mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council. First established in March 2016, the Commission is mandated to investigate the situation of human rights in South Sudan and to make recommendations to prevent a deterioration of the situation, with a view to its improvement.

(ST).