Regional envoys step up efforts to achieve peace in S. Sudan
October 27, 2019 (DJIBOUTI) – Regional envoys met on Thursday in Djibouti to take stock of and assess the status of implementation of pre-transitional tasks under the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
The meeting was attended by the regional bloc (IGAD) special envoy for South Sudan, Ismail Wais, Kenya special envoy to South Sudan, Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, and the Sudan special envoy to South Sudan, Jamal El Sheikh.
IGAD, in a statement, said the meeting took place against the backdrop of South Sudan’s peace process, which is at a critical stage with barely a month to the November 12 deadline for formation of South Sudan’s transitional national unity government.
Plans to form a new government in accordance to the 2018 peace deal faces challenges as some pre-transitional tasks are still pending.
“Mindful of the delay in the implementation of the R-ARCSS, the Envoys resolved to better coordinate efforts in engaging stakeholders and mobilizing the necessary support for the peace process in South Sudan,” IGAD said in a statement issued Saturday.
During the meeting, regional special envoys were briefed by the Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, Lt. Gen. Augostino S.K. Njoroge (Rtd) on the status of implementation of pre-transitional tasks under the R-ARCSS.
Following the briefing, however, the regional special envoys reportedly deliberated at length on critical outstanding tasks such as the transitional security arrangements, number and boundaries of states, allocation of ministerial portfolios and the issue of the South Sudanese non-signatories to the September 2018 peace agreement.
The special envoys, IGAD further noted, also agreed to meet regularly.
South Sudan descended into war in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup, allegations the latter dismissed.
In May, the two sides agreed to form a unity government in six months and in September said that they will establish a transitional government by November 12 as part of the peace agreement.
(ST)
