Envoy urges timely formation of S. Sudan’s unity government
August 11, 2019 (JUBA) – The Kenyan special envoy for South Sudan, Kalonzo Musyoka has said there should be no further delays in the formation of the country’s coalition government due this November.
The Kenyan opposition leader, who was appointed special envoy to South Sudan in July, said his consultative meeting with stakeholders’ and signatories to the revitalized peace agreement was to ensure by November 12, 2019, all the necessary arrangements are in place for the formation of the transitional government of national unity.
“We hope that everybody will agree that there is no need for further extension. We want to move from pre-transition to the transition period,” he stressed.
Musyoka said all pre-transitional arrangements should be completed within the extended timeframe parties agreed upon in May this year.
The coalition government was meant to be formed in May, but the parties agreed to extend the pre-transitional period for additional six months to enable them implement all the security arrangements.
Last week, body monitoring South Sudan’s ceasefire (CTSAMVM) expressed strong fears over the slow progress in the implementation of the security arrangements in the revitalized peace agreement.
The CTSAMVM is mandated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to monitor and verify the implementation of the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities as per the peace deal.
South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of attempting a coup.
However, in accordance with the September 2018 peace agreement, opposition leader Machar will be reinstated as vice president of South Sudan.
(ST)