S. Sudan activist urges release of peace implementation funds
November 17, 2019 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s incumbent government should urgently release the remaining portion of the $100 million it pledged for the implementation of the country’s revitalized peace agreement, an activist said on Monday.
“At least by one week for the 100 days some actions that require no funds should have delivered. Normally, the beginning of an extended period starts with silence from the all parties. This is experiences of the first extended period of six months for the pre-transitional period,” said Yakani.
On November 7, South Sudan President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar agreed at a meeting in Uganda to delay key benchmarks in the peace deal by 100 days.
Ugadan’s President Yoweri Museveni chaired the meeting, also attended by the head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Kenya’s Special Envoy to South Sudan, Kalonzo Musyoka.
The delay in forming a national unity government came after Machar’s group threatened to boycott November 12 deadline, saying the security arrangements were incomplete.
But Yakani said within the first one week, actions such as renewal of directives to the forces to report to cantonment sites and barracks, release of part of the $100 million and ordering forces to vacate civilians’ centers, among others should have been witnessed among parties to the accord.
“Committing political will to implement the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) is essential from the principals of the parties’ signatories to the peace agreement. Trust and confidence of the principals of the parties for working together is the primary determinant for genuine implementation of the R-ARCSS,” stressed the activist.
He urged the regional bloc (IGAD) to expedite the facilitation of the required political leadership retreat for the parties to peace agreement.
“Failure or inadequate performance during the first 50 days of the extended pre-transitional period on deliverance of the critical pending issues of the peace agreement will be a bad reputation for the parties and IGAD,” noted Yakani.
The United States on Wednesday said it was “gravely disappointed” with South Sudan’s failure to form a Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) by a November 12 deadline and would “reevaluate” its relationship with the young nation.
Also, several US officials, including the Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, have slammed Entebbe agreement saying this second extension “calls into question their suitability to continue to lead the nation”.
South Sudan descended into civil war in mid-December 2013 when President Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup, allegations he dismissed.
In September last year, the country’s rival factions signed a revitalized peace deal to end the civil war that killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.
(ST)