Redouble efforts to form new government, S. Sudan leaders told

October 1, 2019 (JUBA) – South Sudanese leaders must redouble their efforts and tackle challenges facing the implementation of its peace deal before a unity government is formed, a top UN official said.

In his remarks in the capital, Juba on Tuesday, David Shearer, the head of the UN mission in South Sudan stressed the time is running out for the signatories to the accord to resolve outstanding issues.

Shearer was speaking at a three-day peace symposium, which brought together activists, youth, politicians, traditional and religious leaders seeks to enlighten communities on the 2018 peace accord.

He said key in the implementation of the September 2018 peace deal are the security reforms and the number of states and boundaries, which have slowed down the implementation process.

“I understand that complex issues are still outstanding in the pre-transitional process in the last six weeks’ time. We need to resolve the issue of boundaries or states in the coming few weeks,” said Shearer.

The senior UN official also lauded the recent face-to-face meeting between President Salva Kiir and the armed opposition leader Riek Machar in Juba, but urged them to resolve their outstanding issues.

“The formation of the government will enable all of the parties, not just the government, but the opposition as well to make decisions together with the transitional government going forward,” he noted.

South Sudan descended into war in December 2013 when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup.

In September 2018, the rival factions involved in the conflict signed a peace deal to end the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over 2 million people in the country.

(ST)