Mr President,

Members of the Council,

1. I would like to thank the President of the Security Council, H.E. Liu Jieyi, for his kind invitation to me to brief the Security Council today.
2. You will recall that in my last briefing to you in March, we were confronted by unprecedented hostilities targeting civilians, resulting in gross human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, a dramatic increase of refugees and internally displaced persons and an appalling humanitarian crisis in the country.
3. In that context, I posed the following questions – How do we stop the fighting? How do we stop people dying of starvation? And how do we ensure inclusivity of all parties, communities and stakeholders in the peace process? Peace, relief and inclusivity.
4. Immediately after that briefing, my team devised and drafted the One Voice initiative – a twelve point message from us ALL to the South Sudanese leadership demanding the cessation of hostilities and the restoration of the permanent ceasefire. It remains as pertinent and relevant today as it was when it was written.
5. With the blessing of the IGAD Chairperson, H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, I engaged in a comprehensive and constant round of consultations with all the critical stakeholders, specifically in line with our One Voice initiative and in the pursuit of peace.
6. I have maintained regular and forthright dialogue with the President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, and the First Vice President, General Taban Deng Gai, constantly reiterating our message of peace, humanitarian relief and political inclusivity.
7. I have met and briefed the IGAD Heads of State and Government, the IGAD Council of Ministers, the AU Commission Chairperson, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, and the AU Peace and Security Council.
8. I met with H.E. Omar al-Bashir, President of Sudan, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Uganda, and H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya, with the purpose of identifing a way out of the escalating violence and humanitarian crisis.
9. I appealed to IGAD, the AU, the UN and our international partners to adopt “one voice” in our engagement with the leaders of South Sudan, and the need for the regional leaders to align their messages and actions to prevent the situation in South Sudan from further deterioration.
10. The regional leaders expressed their grave concern with the recent escalation of violence, the ongoing violation of the permanent ceasefire and the worsening humanitarian situation in the country. They emphasised that the conflict in this country requires a political, and not a military solution and they demanded wider inclusivity of and dialogue amongst the belligerents.

Mr President,

11. In South Africa I met with the Vice President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as South Africa’s Special Envoy to South Sudan, and then with Dr. Riek Machar, the former First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan.
12. The message I conveyed to Dr. Riek Machar was to renounce violence, declare a unilateral ceasefire and participate in the National Dialogue. He declined to do so. However, he demanded a new political process by the region outside South Sudan.
13. I have also taken the time to meet with some of the key South Sudanese stakeholders in opposition and currently out of the country. I met with Madam Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, former detainees Pagan Amum, Kosti Manibe, Dr. Majak and Dr. Cirino Hiteng, and also with Dr. Lam Akol, Thomas Cirillo, James Oryema and others in order to listen to their grievances.
14. My message to all of them was that those who are still fighting should stop immediately for the sake of their country that they say they love so much, and that all serious parties should pursue a political path to return to the Peace Process.
15. In principle most welcomed my message. Like Dr Riek Machar, they demanded a negotiated ceasefire and expressed their willingness to participate in a credible political process outside South Sudan that might lead to their return to the implementation of the Peace Agreement. In this regard they underlined the importance of the deployment of the Regional Protection Force.
16. I hoped that by engaging so determinedly in this way, we would drive a peaceful, open and transparent dialogue that is imperative if we are to achieve an inclusive political process and silence the guns.

Mr President,

17. Accordingly, IGAD held an Extra-Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa on 12^th June 2017 and, following my recommendation, they decided to convene a High-Level Revitalization Forum of the parties, including estranged groups, to discuss concrete measures to:
18. restore the permanent ceasefire,
19. return to full implementation of the Peace Agreement and

• develop a revised and realistic timeline and implementation schedule towards democratic elections at the end of the transition period;

Mr President,

18. We should all welcome this timely decision of the IGAD leadership and seize the opportunity to end the senseless fighting, revitalise the implementation of the Peace Agreement and restore hope and aspiration for the people of South Sudan.
19. The revitalisation of the implementation of the Peace Agreement is NOT a renegotiation. The Forum will explore options that can restore activity and prominence of the peace process. It is our hope that this revitalisation process will be pursued in the spirit of peace, inclusivity and compromise.
20. I hope that all reasonable and positive proposals to restore and reinforce effective implementation of the Peace Agreement will be put forward, discussed and considered at the Forum. I encourage all Parties and estranged groups to seize this opportunity to put the country first, make compromises and accommodate one another for the sake of peace.
21. Pursuant to this mandate, the IGAD Council of Ministers met on 02^nd July 2017 and adopted guidelines and an indicative matrix for the convening of this High Level Revitalisation Forum within three months.
22. This revitalization process is intended to ensure the broadest possible consultation with stakeholders, and to generate proposals that could make the Peace Agreement implementation more accommodative, viable and sustainable.
23. Ultimately, the success of this process will require a willingness on the part of the Parties to the Peace Agreement and estranged groups to compromise and accommodate one another politically.
24. A window of opportunity has arisen and we must all seize it. I believe that with a resolute and unified approach by IGAD, the African Union, the UN and the International Community, and with cooperation from the South Sudanese leaders, we can recover lost ground and restore hope to the people of South Sudan.

Thank you, Mr President.

Your Excellency, Hailemariam Desalegn, Chairperson of the IGAD and Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia,

Your Excellency, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda,

Your Excellency, Omar Hassan al Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan,

Your Excellency, Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya,

Your Excellency, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia,

Your Excellency, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti,

Your Excellency, General Taban Deng Gai, First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan,

Your Excellency, Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission;

Your Excellency, David Shearer, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in the Republic of South Sudan;

Your Excellency, Mahboub M. Maalim, Executive Secretary of IGAD,

Your Excellencies, Special Envoys,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.

I welcome this very timely and important IGAD Extraordinary Summit on South Sudan. As you may recall, Your Excellencies, we are now into the 22^nd month since the signing of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS).

1. After nearly eight months of delay, the Transitional Government of National Unity was formed on the 29^th April 2016. This means that we are now fourteen months into the Transitional Period, and have barely sixteen months left to October 2018 – the end of the Transitional Period.
2. Regrettably, the citizens of the Republic of South Sudan are yet to enjoy the peace that the implementation of the Peace Agreement was expected to deliver. In this regard, I have submitted a detailed quarterly report for the period February to April 2017, that summarizes JMEC’s assessment of the status of the implementation of the Peace Agreement. I will however recap our journey to this point, and highlight the issues that demand your attention and action.

Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen;

3. The return of the designated First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny on 26^th April 2016 and the subsequent formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) were key milestones in the implementation of the Agreement. Many of the Transitional Agreement Institutions and Implementation Mechanisms had also been established and operationalized to coordinate these efforts.
4. Unfortunately, disagreements between H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President and his then First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and the unwillingness by the Parties to make compromises overshadowed the first few months of the TGoNU.
5. In July 2016, fighting broke out at the Presidential Palace in Juba (J1) between forces loyal to the President and those loyal to the former First Vice President.
6. The July fighting and its aftermath, which was the worst incident of violation of the permanent ceasefire, reversed the progress that had been made in the implementation of the Agreement. It led to the flight from Juba of the then First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny with many of his followers and key opposition members from the TGoNU.
7. The replacement of Dr. Machar by his former chief negotiator General Taban Deng Gai as First Vice President caused a split in the SPLM/A-IO into two factions. One faction led by General Taban Deng Gai, now cooperating with and participating in the TGoNU, and the other led by the Former First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny still fighting against the government.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen;

8. Following the IGAD Communique of 5^th August 2016, the reconstituted TGoNU continued with implementation of the Peace Agreement, in spite of concern over exclusion of estranged Parties. As JMEC we had hoped that the Parties would quickly resolve their differences and return to full implementation of the Peace Agreement. This has not materialized and now the Parties seem even further apart.
9. Today, we are confronted by increased hostilities amongst these Parties, flagrant violations of the ceasefire, the emergence of new opposition and armed groups. The rapidly deteriorating political, security, humanitarian and economic situation in the country has caused unprecedented displacement, famine and growing civilian flight.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen;

10. While I commend the very good working relationship between H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President and H.E. General Taban Deng Gai, the First Vice President and their determination to cooperate; real progress is still lacking, the pace of the implementation of the Peace Agreement has been too slow, and challenges abound.
11. Admittedly, over the last several months, JMEC has witnessed some commendable progress in institution building and some reforms:
    1. Some Agreement Institutions and Transitional Security Arrangements (TSA) mechanisms have been reconstituted and others operationalized;
    2. The National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) has completed incorporation of provisions of the Peace Agreement into the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan and has embarked on the review of relevant legislation;
    3. The Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) has been formed and has commenced business;
    4. The TGoNU has established a High Level Humanitarian Oversight Committee to address impediments faced by humanitarian agencies in delivering assistance. It has also provided subsidies for essential food commodities;
    5. The TGoNU has also put in place some measures to stabilize the economy and address the fiscal challenges facing the country, including the establishment of a centralised treasury account in the Central Bank, expenditure out of which is determined by an inter-ministerial committee.
    6. There has been some progress towards cantonment planning, particularly for two sites near Juba. However, effective cantonment of forces requires a cessation of hostilities and restoration of the permanent ceasefire;
    7. The TGoNU has reported that some components of the Joint Integrated Police (JIP) have been trained and are ready for deployment in due course; and
    8. Six JMEC Working Committees have been established to work in close consultation with the three TGoNU clusters – Governance, Humanitarian and Service Delivery – to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the various chapters of the Peace Agreement.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen;

12. It is regrettable that the progress I have mentioned, and good efforts of the TGoNU continue to be overshadowed, and in some cases reversed by the ongoing hostilities.
13. The humanitarian condition in the country continues to be precarious, mainly due to the persistence of armed violence in various parts of the country.
14. The impact of the war on the civilian population is deeply concerning. Notably, the economic situation continues to worsen as evidenced by rising prices and a sharply depreciated exchange rate. Food production has declined as population displacement persists, putting more pressure on an already fragile economy.
15. According to the UN OCHA Humanitarian Bulletin Report of 28 May 2017, 3.7 million South Sudanese have been driven from their homes. Some live in Protection of Civilian sites (PoCs), others are internally displaced, and many more in refugee settlements in neighboring countries. According to the same report, a total of 5.5 million people are food insecure.
16. In addition, there are continuing reports of human rights violations including killings, sexual violence, arbitrary arrests and detentions.
17. Despite the recent improvements in access to humanitarian assistance, there are still reports of threats and detention of humanitarian aid workers.
18. I therefore welcome the recent decision by the governments of the Republic of Sudan and of the Republic of Kenya to open more humanitarian corridors to deliver much-needed aid to the long-suffering people of South Sudan.

Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen;

19. As the main guarantors to the Peace Agreement, Your Excellencies, IGAD should act collectively and decisively, speak with one voice and demand that the leaders of South Sudan end the violence, and pursue a political solution and return to full implementation of the Peace Agreement.
20. I therefore expect the Summit to address the following pertinent issues:
    1. Decide on concrete steps to revitalize implementation of the Peace Agreement;
    2. Commit to concrete measures to enforce compliance with the ceasefire; and
    3. Decide on practical ways of addressing the dire humanitarian crisis in the country.

Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen;

21. I recommend the following actions to the Summit:
    1. convene a High Level Revitalisation Forum for the Parties to the Peace Agreement, including estranged groups, to discuss the restoration of the permanent ceasefire, a return to inclusive implementation, a revised realistic timeline and implementation schedule towards democratic elections at the end of the Transitional Period;
    2. prior to this High Level Forum, invite other key opposition groups to participate without pre-conditions;
    3. demand a clear and realistic timeline for the deployment of the Regional Protection Force (RPF) to provide a neutral and secure enviroment for the implementation of the Peace Agreement;
    4. convene a joint meeting of the Chiefs of Defence Forces of the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) and of the TGoNU, and the UN to discuss all outstanding issues and determine a definitive timeline for full deployment of the RPF;
    5. decide on specific actions to enforce compliance with the ceasefire to prevent impunity and derailing of the peace process;
    6. call on the international community to assist South Sudan in its efforts to revive the economy once the Parties return to the full implementation of the Peace Agreement;
    7. call on the international community to mobilize the requisite resources to address the dire humanitarian situation currently unfolding in South Sudan;
    8. call on the TGoNU and all groups to ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian agencies; and
    9. Above all, uphold the One Voice message and align your actions in your collective pursuit of helping the people of South Sudan achieve lasting peace.

I thank you.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

1. I welcome you all to our May Plenary. Last week marked a historic moment in the birth of this young nation – the 34^th anniversary of the launch of the South Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement. I congratulate all the leaders and people of South Sudan on this important milestone.
2. The theme for this anniversary is very important and timely. “Let us dialogue to forgive one another for sustainable reconciliation, peace and development.” It is a matter of deep regret, however, that, after a successful liberation struggle, this historic liberation movement now finds itself embroiled in fighting among former comrades.
3. I want to appeal to all the sons and daughters of this land, to use this 34^th anniversary to summon the spirit of comradeship that won their liberation to heal the bitter divide between SPLM factions which are now engaged in such unfortunate and destructive conflict.
4. For peace and stability to endure in this country, and for the fruits of the liberation to translate into reality, we need a strong, united peaceful and democratic South Sudan.
5. I therefore welcome H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit’s call for nationalism and patriotism on this day, and I want to appeal to the government and all the parties in opposition to honor the sacrifices that have been borne by all South Sudanese by making peace, not waging more war.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

6. The official launch of the National Dialogue this week is therefore very timely and a welcome development. I am encouraged by the declaration that the National Dialogue will be inclusive, transparent and conducted with integrity.
7. The National Dialogue does not replace the implementation of the Peace Agreement; it is complementary. Let us all give peace and dialogue a chance in order to create a conducive environment for the full implementation of the Agreement.
8. I commend the President for declaring a unilateral ceasefire and for recommending the release of political detainees. I urge all those in Opposition to follow suit immediately.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

9. We are now into the eighteenth month of the the implementation of the ARCSS and since this Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission was formed, and thirteen months into the Transition Period following the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) on April 29, 2016. This means, we have barely seventeen months left to October 2018 and the end of the Transitional Period.
10. Some of the JMEC Working Committees have now held their second or third meetings since our last Plenary, and they have developed and adopted a roburst framework for evaluating progress for each chapter of the Agreement.
11. I am encouraged by the real commitment and determination of all the Working Committees to undertake their tasks. I am confident that the work of these Committees will constitute an important and integral part of JMEC’s assessment, reporting and recommendations in the months ahead.
12. I must also appreciate the commitment and determination shown by members of JMEC. Even the modest progress we have made so far would not have been possible without your concerted efforts and sustained contributions.
13. However, time is catching up with the implementation of the Agreement. Our pace is far too slow and the situation is not getting any better. We need to ask more questions and demand more concrete steps from the TGoNU to expedite the implementation of the Agreement.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

14. Since the last Plenary, more fighting has been reported between the SPLA-IG and SPLA-IO (Machar) in Tonga, Kodok, and Aburoc in Upper Nile and very recently in Wau and Waat. Ambushes and attacks against civilians took place on Juba-Bor road and in Parajok.
15. JMEC condemns this senseless continuation of violence and the resulting loss of civilian life and urges CTSAMM to quickly verify and report the parties responsible.
16. These ongoing violations of the permanent ceasefire by the SPLA-IG and SPLA-IO MUST stop, and I expect the JMCC to make substantial recommendations to help the TGoNU and JMEC to achieve this outcome. The other armed groups contributing to these violence MUST also stop and pursue a peaceful path towards engagement in the peace process.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

17. I remain deeply concerned by the continuous deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country. The ongoing hostilities exacerbate the challenges and create even more humanitarian needs.
18. The renewed violence reported in Yuai, Waat, Tonga and Kodok areas reportedly displaced between 50,000 and 100,000 people, of which at least 25,000 people fled to Aburoc and Sudan.
19. According to the UN OCHA Humanitarian Bulletin of May 9^th, 2017, the number of South Sudanese refugees in the neighbouring countries continues to grow and has reached 1.8 million, while the number of internally displaced persons now stands at about 2 million.
20. These figures are staggering and continue to illustrate the scale of the impact of the ongoing conflict. Civilians are routinely and forcefully removed from their villages by the conflict and have their lives uprooted and livelihoods dismantled.
21. Yet humanitarian access remains a constant challenge. For example, it is regrettable that the recent conflicts in Waat and Walgak in Jonglei state resulted in the relocation of the humanitarian aid workers from the area. The violence that caused this cannot by any stretch of imagination be said to be defensive.
22. More South Sudanese continue to flee violence and face a growing reality of hunger, all the while wondering if they will ever see the peace dividend that implementation of the Agreement is expected to deliver.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

23. The prospect of famine spreading to other parts of the country is also increasing. When famine was first declared, it was in the two counties of Leer and Mayendit. But now Koch, a third county, is also reported to be on the verge of famine. These are clear warnings that if the fighting does not stop, the number of food insecure people in South Sudan could rise for months particularly during the raining season.
24. While I extol the efforts of the region, international community and friends of South Sudan in their response to address the humanitarian catastrophe, I continue to appeal for more good will and urgent action. The South Sudan 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan projected that at least 1.6 billion US Dollars would be required for humanitarian response in the country, but only 27 per cent of the required funding has been received so far – leaving a funding shortfall of about USD 1.2 billion.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

25. As I promised in my last address to this Plenary, I have continued with my diplomatic engagments in the region, specifically in line with our One Voice initiative, and I consulted with regional leaders and some South Sudanese stakeholders in the pursuit of peace.
26. I held consultations with the IGAD Chairperson H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and the AU Commission Chairperson, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, and briefed them on the deliberations we had here in Juba and the situation in the country.
27. I also met with H.E. Omar al-Bashir, President of Sudan, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Uganda, and H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya. The purpose of my diplomatic mission within the region was to identify a path out of the escalating violence and humanitarian crisis.
28. I appealed for us all to adopt “one voice” in our engagment with the leaders of South Sudan, and the need for the regional leaders to align their messages and actions to prevent the situation in South Sudan from further deterioration.
29. The regional leaders expressed their grave concern with the recent escalation of violence, the ongoing violation of the permanent ceasefire and the worsening humanitarian situation in the country. They emphasised that the conflict in this country requires a political, not military solution and they demanded wider inclusivity of and dialogue amongst the belligerents.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

30. I also had the opportunity to meet with some of the key South Sudanese stakeholders currently in opposition. I met with Madam Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, former detainees Pagan Amum, Kosti Manibe, Dr. Majak and Dr. Cirino Hiteng, and also with Dr. Lam Akol, Thomas Cirillo, James Oryema and others in order to listen to their grievances.
31. My message to all of them was that those who are still fighting should stop immediately for the sake of this country that they say they love so much, and that all serious parties should pursue a political path to return to the Peace Process.
32. In principle they welcomed my message. They demanded a negotiated ceasefire and expressed their willingness to participate in a credible political process outside South Sudan that might lead to their return to the implementation of the Peace Agreement. In this regard they underlined the importance of the deployment of the Regional Protection Force.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

33. JMEC welcomes the recent progress made by the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) in incorporating the ARCSS into the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan (2011), and for embarking on the relevant legislative review and amendments process.
34. However, it is regrettable that the TGoNU has delayed the submission of this Amendment Bill to the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and missed the deadline prescribed by the Agreement.
35. I urge the TGoNU to expedite this constitutional amendment process and also to immediately initiate a Permanent Constitution making process.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

36. The economic crisis continues, driven by declining oil production, low oil prices and decline in food production. The South Sudanese Pound (SSP) continues to depreciate and inflation remains high. However the economic measures implemented by the TGoNU to enhance economic stability have had some success.
37. There has been a substantial decline in the budget deficit and a marked decline in the inflation rate from 550 percent per annum in September 2016 to 273 percent per annum in April 2017. More recently, after reaching a peak of 200 SSP/USD in April 2017, the exchange rate fell to a range of 140-160 SSP/USD in mid-May.
38. If the authorities continue to pursue tighter fiscal and monetary policies, inflation and exchange rate depreciation can be expected to moderate further thus contributing to an improvement in the overall economic stability.
39. The country will continue to face a difficult budget situation over the medium term as, given the low oil prices and production trends, net oil revenue cannot be expected to increase significantly anytime soon. New domestically financed spending for development and other services will require reallocation within the present budget envelope.
40. Even amidst these economic challenges and budgetary constraints, an end to the hostilities will bring about a tangible peace dividend and ease some economic burdens for the people of South Sudan. The present threats to their lives and property will recede, and people will be able to return home, rebuild their lives and resume productive livelihoods.
41. Specifically, the return of farmers to their land will increase food supplies in the markets and lower prices. Safer transport routes and more stable economic conditions will add marketable goods and stimulate economic activity.
42. Ultimately, implementing broad and sustained development initiatives in South Sudan will require peace, but robust planning for post-conflict development programmes should start immediately. I urge the TGoNU to continue with its reforms and put in place a framework that will ensure the best use of its available resources.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

43. I therefore recommend that JMEC must continue to demand:
    1. full commitment by all parties to the restoration and implementation of the permanent ceasefire;
    2. total cessation of violence around the country and a commitment to pursue a political path to reconciling their differences;
    3. deployment of the Regional Protection Force to build confidence and encourage a return to inclusive implementation of the Peace Agreement;
    4. full and credible inclusion of all parties and stakeholders in the National Dialogue and implementation of the Peace Agreement;
    5. immediate initiation of the Permanent Constitution making process and a clear timeline to the end of the Transition Period;
    6. continued implementation of Chapter II Transitional Security Arrangements and cantonment activities; and allow unhindered and unfettered access to CTSAMM, and
    7. ABOVE ALL an immediate and sustained improvement of the conditions for delivery of humanitarian assistance; and
    8. the fast-tracking of the Amendment Bill incorporating the ARCSS into the Transitional Constitution and continued support to the NCAC to review and amend the necessary legislation within their mandate.
       1. reiterate our appeal to the IGAD leaders to speak with one voice, and align the messages and actions to South Sudanese leaders.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

44. In conclusion, I expect this Plenary to:
    1. receive a briefing from the TGoNU on recent progress made in implementing the Peace Agreement;
    2. receive an update from TGoNU and UNMISS on the current humanitarian situation, in particular on steps taken to facilitate unfettered humanitarian access;
    3. receive summary reports on the status of the various boards and commissions of the Peace Agreement and the progress towards their objectives; and,
    4. welcome the progress that is being made by the various JMEC Working Committees and commend the Chairpersons and members for their commitment and contributions.
45. At the end of this Plenary, I shall invite a brief presentation from the JMEC Civil Society representative.
46. Finally, I take this opportunity to thank all our partners in TGoNU, the other South Sudanese stakeholders, IGAD, AU, Troika, EU, China, the UN, UNMISS, and the International Partners and Friends of South Sudan for their commitment and continued support to JMEC and the peace process in South Sudan.
47. May God bless us all and continue to guide us in the relentless pursuit of peace. Thank you.

Honorable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

1. I believe that we have had a productive JMEC Plenary today.
2. I thank the representatives of TGoNU for presenting a summary report on the progress the Government has made so far, as well as its stated continued commitment to the implementation of the Agreement, including measures it is undertaking to address the current economic challenges facing the country.
3. I must also thank the United Nations for providing a humanitarian update, and the various Boards and Institutions for their reports. To all those who made valuable and constructive contributions today, I say thank you.
4. From our discussions today, it is clear that the humanitarian situation, and with it the complete cessation of violence, remains the most critical challenge facing the people of South Sudan. Whilst concerted efforts are being made to respond to the overwhelming humanitarian needs, many challenges remain that hinder the timely and effective provision of humanitarian relief, particularly at the local level. I welcome the call for enhanced coordination of efforts of all stakeholders and I hope that this can be expedited immediately.
5. You will forgive me if I reiterate the key message that summarizes our collective approach. It is clear, I am afraid, that little has changed since we last met – we must continue the search for the means to end the violence and stop the fighting; we must continue to coordinate our efforts to end the crisis of hunger; and we must increase our efforts to engage all parties and communities in South Sudan and establish an inclusive National Dialogue.
6. I cannot emphasize enough, the need for:
   1. the concerted effort by all leaders, civilian and military, inside and outside South Sudan, to assert control over those loyal to you and bring violence and conflict to an immediate end;
   2. a willingness by all to find a comprehensive and inclusive political resolution to the conflict in South Sudan;
   3. a total commitment by all parties to the conflict to guarantee and facilitate access for humanitarian support, and to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations including violence against aid workers;

I thank you.