OPENING STATEMENT BY H.E. FESTUS G. MOGAE, CHAIRMAN OF JMEC

DURING THE PLENARY MEETING OF THE JOINT MONITORING & EVALUATION COMMISSION

15 DECEMBER 2016, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

I welcome you all to this last JMEC Plenary of 2016. It has been a dramatic year and one in which South Sudan might best be described as having taken one step forward and two steps back.

December is a very important month in our calendar. Not just as the Christian celebratation of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ, but also for a number of other important reasons.

In many parts of sub-saharan Africa, December is a month of harvest. It is a month during which we reap what we have sown. December is also a month of reflection upon the year past and planning for the year ahead.

I invite us all to reflect on this past year – the achievements, the progress and also the many missed opportunities that have cost us dearly as we search for a durable peace in this country.

As we approach Christmas, the message is one of “peace and goodwill to all people” and that must be central in our message to all the people of South Sudan. We must all commit here and now to making 2017 a year of peaceful progress.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

Back in January, in my opening address to the very first JMEC plenary, I set out a few objectives for the implementation of the Peace Agreement, as follows:

• that the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) would be formed and be fully functional;
• that the new TGoNU takes bold steps to rapidly address the dire humanitarian situation in the country;
• that insecurity would end and the new unity government would direct appropriate resources to much-needed education and service delivery;
• that there will be greater cooperation and compromise within the new government of national unity and hence a fast-tracked implementation of the peace agreement;
• that there would be establishment and operationalisation of all key Transitional Security Arrangments Institutions and Mechanisms (JMCC, SDSR, JOC, JIP, etc); and
• finally, that key pre-transition tasks, including the work of the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC), the SDSR and JIP, would be completed.

I had hoped that there would be an amended Transitional Consitution, that Juba would be demilitarised and secured by the civil police service, and a roadmap would be formalised for the transformation of the security sector for South Sudan.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

I leave the verdict to each one of you but I think we can all agree that we have not fulfilled our obligations to the Agreement or to the long suffering people of this country. We all know very well that our modest accomplishments have been outweighed by a number of squandered opportunities. Suffice to say, however, that, if it weren’t for the unfortunate events of July, we may very well have achieved something more substantial.

During 2016, the TGoNU was inaugurated in April; some of the Agreement institutions and mechanisms like JMCC, CTSAMM, SDSR, JOC had been established, and others fully operationalised; the JIP was assembled, ready for training; and the NCAC had undertaken some commendable work.

Sadly, following the July fighting and subsequent turmoil, many of these acheivements unravelled and we were almost thrown back to square one. We found ourselves having to reconstitute many of the Agreement institutions in the face of diminished inclusion and various new factions, some opposed to or deliberately undermining the peace efforts. The hopes of many ordinary South Sudanese were dashed.

Over the past few months, I have repeatedly called for an end to the fighting, for the full implementation of the ceasefire; for the restoration of full inclusivity within the political process; and for the TGoNU to address the desperate humanitarian situation. Most of all I have called for dignified and unified political leadership.

In light of this, I welcome the pronouncement a few days ago by H.E. President Salva Kiir when he reached out to his people with such strong and heartfelt words as he launched the much-needed National Dialogue initiative.

The President has seized a critical opportunity for national reconciliation, he has appealed for a spirit of forgiveness and togetherness, and he has set in motion a campaign to address the concerns and grievances of the South Sudanese people.

I applaud the President’s leadership in this matter and we in JMEC will support the National Dialogue in any way we can. The President has called for peace, unity, forgiveness and dialogue and this is undoubtedly a very good starting point for the New Year.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

I also wish to highlight those areas where progress has been made:

• the TGoNU is established and operational;
• the TNLA has been expanded and has commenced business;
• representation of the other political parties and other stakeholders to the Agreement institutions has largely been resolved, with a few exceptions;
• the Transitional Security Arrangement Mechanisms have been created and some have been operationalised:
  • CTSAMM has fully transitioned from the MVM and dutifully reported on its operations and investigations amidst enduring challenges,
  • the SDSR Board has been meeting and has set out an ambitious and robust path towards providing the Council of Ministers with revised assessments and policies in early 2017,
  • the JMCC recently held it’s second cantonment workshop in the presence of high ranking officials of the TGoNU, including Cabinet Ministers, and the SPLA Chief of General Staff. The JMCC is pressing forward to gain TGoNU approval for their plan to establish the first four cantoment sites across the greater Equatoria region from February to May 2017,
  • the JIP has made preparations to train approximately 1200 police men and women;
• the NCAC now has a Chairperson;
• a programme for economic and fiscal stabilisation is underway as reported in my last Plenary statement. Importantly,
  • the cash management system appears to be working and expenditure for the first quarter of this fiscal year was within the proscribed ceiling,
  • there is constructive dialogue between the TGoNU and the IMF
• and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs has now inagurated a Technical Consultative Committee for the Commissition for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing. I welcome this important development towards establishing a much-needed process for accountability and transitional justice.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

Alongside the renewed efforts of the President, I am also grateful for the display of unity presented by the Chiefs’ Council, with whom I met last month.

Six hundred and fifty five Chiefs from 64 tribes gathered together to discuss their role in bringing peace to their country. It was an honour to address them and listen to them. They believe this is a political struggle, not a tribal struggle and they say they are ready and willing to play their part in bringing people together.

In light of the President’s initiative, I hope that the Chiefs will be afforded a role in the National Dialogue so that, through them, voice can be given to the hopes and aspirations of all people.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

It is appropriate to appreciate and acknowledge the sentiments expressed in the communique of the most recent IGAD Heads of State Summit, held in Addis Ababa on 09 December.

They have expressed their concern and dismay that the implementation of the Agreement has been so badly disrupted, but remain of the firm conviction that the Agreement is the only viable means through which to deliver peace.

They have called upon the TGoNU and the leadership of the Republic of South Sudan to fully cooperate with essential security and humanitarian operations and to immediately condemn acts of discrimination, hostility and hatred that could constitute incitement to violence. H.E. President Salva Kiir has responded positively and set the example for others to follow.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

In conclusion, I recommend that we use this Plenary meeting to:

• Reflect on possible steps that should be taken in 2017 to address the revival of the full implementation of the Peace Agreement, and to catch-up with the implementation schedule;
• To receive a briefing from the TGoNU on recent progress made in implementing the Agreement, and in particular steps being taken to address the deteriorating security situation in some parts of the country;
• We receive an update on the current humanitarian situation from UNMISS and steps being taken by the TGoNU to enable unhindered humanitarian assistance;
• To receive summary reports on the status of the various boards and commissions (JMCC, SDSRB, CTSAMM, JIP-MT) and their progress and strategies towards implementation of their tasks.

Over the next few Plenary meetings, I intend for us to hear the voice of everyone around the table and particularly their plans to support JMEC and the implementation of the Peace Agreement.To start this conversation, I have invited a presentation from the JMEC youth representatives. We look forward to hearing the views and plans of all representatives over the next few Plenary meetings.

Finally, I must take this opportunity to thank all our partners in TGoNU, the other South Sudanese stakeholders, IGAD, AU, Troika, EU, China, UNMISS, the International partners and friends of South Sudan for their commitment and continued support to JMEC and the peace process in South Sudan.

We appeal to all the parties, the leadership and people of South Sudan to observe peace during this festive season and beyond.

May the New Year of 2017 bring fresh inspiration and a renewed spirit of cooperation. I expect us all to make up for lost time, catch up with the implementation schedule and make real progress.

I wish you all a merry christmas, a happy new year and a restful and reflective holiday. May God bless us all, give us wisdom in the new year, and continue to guide us in the relentless pursuit of peace.

H.E. Festus Mogae, JMEC Chairman

STATEMENT BY H.E. FESTUS G. MOGAE, CHAIRPERSON OF JMEC TO THE IGAD HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT SUMMIT ADDIS ABABA ETHIOPIA ON THE STATUS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT ON THE RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN

9th December, 2016

H.E Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, and Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government,

H.E Omar Hassan al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan,

H.E Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti;

H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan;

H.E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia. H.E Sam Kuteesa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Uganda

H.E Amina Mohammed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kenya

Apologies from H.E Festus G Mogae

Excellencies; Ladies and Gentlemen;

I thank you for the opportunity to address you at this important summit. JMEC is grateful for IGAD’s support and guidance in what has been a challenging undertaking.

The peace process in South Sudan continues to face significant challenges. The security situation has deteriorated, the economy is near collapse, and the humanitarian crisis has deepened significantly since my last report to you.

The agreement to end hostilities and establish a permanent ceasefire which underpins the peace agreement continues to be violated. The widening of the armed conflict to the Greater Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal regions and the emergence of armed groups not party to the peace agreement has further compounded insecurity and complicated the environment for implementation of the peace agreement.

There remain notable gaps in representation in the current political process, and the institutions and mechanisms of the peace agreement. As you are aware, some parties to the peace agreement have abandoned the process following the events of early July. JMEC takes the view that the peace agreement can still be implemented. However, concerted efforts must be made to ensure inclusivity of all parties willing to resume the implementation process.

JMEC continues to encourage all parties to resume full implementation of the peace agreement. To this end, I have urged all parties, more particularly the Transitional Government of National Unity, to demonstrate leadership and campaign for peace and assume a more visible stance in propagating peace among all communities and citizens of South Sudan.

An inclusive political process can only be sustained within a secure environment. I welcome the recent statement by the Transitional Government of National Unity that all outstanding issues related to the deployment of the Regional Protection Force (RPF) had been resolved. The deployment of the RPF is a critical factor in establishing a safe and secure environment for the implementation of the peace agreement.

I must express my regret that the participation in UNMISS of one of our key partners has been disrupted. In light of Kenya’s historic and important role in South Sudan’s peace process, I plead with your Excellencies to urge H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, the President of the Republic of Kenya to remain fully engaged including by participating in the Regional Protection Force.

The conflict has deepened and widened the humanitarian crisis. Thousands of people continue to flee the violence into neighbouring countries. This situation has worsened the regional humanitarian crisis, yet the UN Refugee Response Plan is underfunded.

The numbers of Internally Displaced Persons has also increased exponentially as people flee fighting and insecurity. The majority (over 80%) of IDPs are women and children. Additionally, almost 1/3rd of the population remains food insecure as the economic crisis worsens.

Humanitarian agencies have continued to encounter difficulties posed by insecurity in delivering much needed aid. I welcome President Kiir’s recent establishment of a High Level Humanitarian Oversight Committee tasked with coordinating humanitarian services. Government facilitation of unhindered humanitarian access and safe passage across the country is essential and should be assured.

The ceasefire is continously violated with devastating effect on civilians. Numerous clashes between SPLA- IG and SPLA- IO forces and other armed groups continue almost daily across Western Bahr El-Ghazal, Upper Nile, and Unity States. Regretably, CTSAMM continues to face challenges and obstacles in verifiying and reporting on many of these incidents.

There are increasing reports of targeted and revenge killings, sexual violence, torture and destruction of farmland and property being committed by uniformed forces of the parties and other armed groups in parts of the Greater Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal regions.

In Central Equatoria, armed militia groups continue to target vehicles and convoys carrying goods and civilians. There is also a rise in inflammatory rhetoric, which carries the potential for wider violent ethno-centric conflict.

There is little doubt that this continued and growing trend of violence is having a very negative effect on the hopes of the people of South Sudan on the peace process.

I have made constant appeals to all parties and armed groups to renounce violence and exercise maximum restraint in pursuit of peace. I commend IGAD Heads of State and Government for remaining actively engaged in seeking solutions to the deteriorating situation in South Sudan.

Economically, South Sudan is in the throes of a deep economic crisis. The July violence resulted in a marked deterioration in the economic situation. Annual inflation reached 835% in October 2016.

High levels of food insecurity now prevail due to low agricultural production as people continue to abandon the rural areas to escape the violence. Insecurity on major roads has disrupted transportation of goods to markets. All these factors create inflationary pressures and adversely affect production. With greater insecurity, international aid is being diverted from development projects to humanitarian relief, further weakening the prospects of growth.

The Transitional Government of National Unity should be commended for the Draft Budget for 2016/17, which has cut expenditure by 50% from the previous year’s budget. However, only half of the spending is financed by revenues and grants. Also, the resources allocated in the budget for education and health services are woefully inadequate. In 2015/6 earmarked spending in these areas accounted for only 5 1⁄2 % of total government spending. These services are a priority for the ordinary citizen and need to be urgently improved. The government in partnership with the international community needs to come up with agreed packages to reverse the deterioration of these services.

It is also important that for South Sudan to come out of the economic quagmire it finds itself in, and to enter into a growth trajectory, the government needs to undertake an urgent and genuine reform program in partnership with the international community. Going forward, a long-term horizon in economic policy is needed. The government sector will need to be downsized to a level that can be financed sustainably.

Despite some of the above mentioned challenges, I am pleased to report some encouraging signs of cooperation and progress in some areas of the Peace Agreement:

The Transitional Security Arrangement Mechanisms that I have previously described as “disintegrated” have been revived and re-constituted. Whilst they are not all fully representative or inclusive, they are balanced and capable of driving this critical element of the Agreement forward.

The Joint Military Ceasefire Commission has met consistently each week for the past three months and is actively pursuing its terms of reference. It has fair representation from all Parties, with the notable exception of those forces who remain loyal to Dr. Riek Machar.

JMEC has hosted two JMCC workshops, one on operationalising UNSC Resolution 2304 and the other on the critical objective of cantonments with a clear aim of resolving key practical issues.

Joint Integrated Police trainees consisting of over 1,100 men and women are currently in training at the Rajaf Training Centre. Once their training is completed they will be deployed in and around Juba. It is encouraging that the trainees are drawn from both principal parties to the agreement and contain approximately 24% female trainees.

The Chairperson of the Strategic Defense and Security Review Board is working closely with JMEC to continue the establishment of the Secretariat and Board. JMEC is confident that the previous work on security sector reform in accordance with the Articles of chapter two of the Agreement will continue and remains critical.

The TGoNU has also now approved the new chairperson of the National Constitutional Amendment Committee appointed by IGAD, and he is currentlt in Juba ready to commence his important responsibility.

The JMEC board plenary is meeting regularly, and receiving regular updates from the Transitional Government of National Unity on its efforts to implement the peace agreement.

I share the IGAD leaders’ conviction that South Sudan’s best hope for a sustainable peace lies in full implementation of the Peace Agreement. This conviction is equally held by the many war-weary South Sudanese I meet with in Juba everday and the international community. Every effort should therefore be made by the region to ensure a return to full implementation and to prevent a renewed armed conflict in the country.

In conclusion therefore, I recommend the following:

• That you urge all the Parties to the agreement, including those currently out of the peace process, to denounce violence and pursue a peaceful path to addressing their grievances;
• That all steps be taken to enforce the cessation of hostilities, restore the permanent ceasefire, and implement the Transitional Security Arrangements mechanisms.
• That steps be taken to fast-track the deployment of the Regional Protection Force to establish a secure enviroment in Juba, guarantee stability, and enhance confidence, and support implementation of the peace agreement;
• Encourage H.E President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the TGoNU to welcome all agreement parties willing to rejoin the peace process to do so in the spirit of greater inclusivity, forgiveness and reconciliation;
• Insist that TGoNU guarantees The Ceasefiire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism’s freedom of movement and support its mandate in monitoring compliance by the parties to the peace agreement;
• Appeal to the International community for increased resources to meet the humanitarain needs and urge TGoNU to ensure unimpeded access, safety and security for humanitarian convoys and aid workers.
• Support the TGoNU to undertake practical and genuine reforms provided for in the agreement to build an inclusive, peaceful and democratic society founded on the rule of law;
• Ensure genuine accountability for gross human rights violations, including sexual and gender based crimes committed, and expedite the establishment of the agreed mechanisms and institutions provided for under Chapter 5 of the Agreement.

Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to your Excellencies for your continued and tireless efforts in pursuit of durable peace in South Sudan.

I thank you.

H.E. Festus Mogae, Chairperson, Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission

STATEMENT BY H.E. FESTUS G. MOGAE, CHAIRPERSON OF JMEC TO THE CHIEFS COUNCIL OF SOUTH SUDAN

28 November, 2016, JUBA

President of the Chiefs Council of South Sudan, Chief Deng Macham Anduei; Honourable Ministers; Honourable Elders and Chiefs; Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen;

I am grateful for the opportunity of this important interaction that we, as JMEC, are having with you the Traditional Leaders of South Sudan.

I want to thank you most sincerely for inviting me and my Commission to meet with you today. This is an opportunity I have been waiting for, to exchange views and share notes with you on the most effective means of pursuing the peace process.

Traditional leaders play a vital leadership role in their communities just as elected representatives play a role in a modern democratic setting. We can all agree that traditional leaders have historically been effective mediators and adjudicators in their communities by implementing positive traditional forms of peacemaking, conflict resolution and intervention on behalf of victims of injustice.

I have come to appreciate that some communities in South Sudan have been targeted and violated because of ethnic association. Invariably, therefore, there can be no doubt that traditional leaders and institutions should play a key role in facilitating the process by which hostilities can be brought to an end, which would in turn bring about peace.

My main message to you is that JMEC recognizes your pivotal role as agents of peace and reconciliation in the country. Your efforts, in this regard must be sustained and enhanced.

I appeal to you, as I have done to the rest of the leaders of this country – to go all out and preach peace and reconciliation; to extend a hand of friendship to all, including estranged members of the Opposition, offering assurances of safety.

Your voice in promoting peace in South Sudan, as traditional leaders and community elders, must continue to be heard across the communities and throughout the country.

I have emphasized the principle of inclusivity in the South Sudan peace process. Equally, I recognize your role, as traditional leaders, to be central, in this instance

The key message I have sought to articulate regarding inclusivity is that it is not and should not be about individuals. It is and should be about communities and all other parties that have a stake in the peace process. It includes other political parties, church organizations, women, civil society organizations and the youth.

What we need, at this stage, is achieving maximum awareness about the peace Agreement among the communities. This is why nationwide campaigns for peace and reconciliation are critical.

As JMEC, we would want to join hands with you, Honourable Elders and Chief, in this noble task of reaching out to the people of South Sudan to offer them hope for peace and prosperity.

In conclusion, I thank you once again for initiating this opportunity for interaction.

I hope that today’s meeting becomes the beginning of a purposeful journey we will embark on, jointly, in pursuit of peace in South Sudan.

I thank you.

OPENING STATEMENT BY H.E. FESTUS G. MOGAE, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT MONITORING & EVALUATION COMMISSION DURING THE PLENARY MEETING OF 22 NOVEMBER 2016 IN JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I welcome you all to this JMEC Plenary here in Juba this morning. We have much to report and update. Some positive, some not so positive.

To set the scene, we meet here today amidst fresh public warnings of mass killings, a severe humanitarian crisis and constant news of unremitting violence perpetrated by all sides to the Agreement and by armed groups and criminals.

Public statements of such gravity made by the UN Secretary General and the Director of UN OCHA cannot be taken lightly.

At our last meeting, our primary concern was the immediate restoration of the ceasefire, and I am dismayed to report that no evident or meaningful progress has been made in that regard. Almost daily we receive reports of violence from around the country that serve to remind us of the enormity of our task and the very fragile nature of peace in the country.

However, I intend to take time today to note and recognise the re-emergence of cooperation and progress being made within the Peace Agreement by the Transitional Security Arrangement Mechanisms. I am also encouraged by the steps being taken to address the crisis in the economy and government finances.

Since our last meeting, there have been a wide range of high level briefings and meetings. I have met with the Ethiopian Prime Minister in Addis Ababa; the AU Peace and Security Council has visited South Sudan and received comprehensive briefings on the situation; the JMEC Partners Meeting took place in Kampala on 10th November, where I took the opportunity to meet with President Museveni.

In the past week I have consulted with the leadership of South Sudan, and held discussions with the President, the First Vice President and the Vice President.

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The ceasefire that underpins the Peace Agreement continues to be challenged in some areas. The immediate cessation of hostilities and the restoration of the ceasefire remains our singlemost important priority. I am conciously and deliberately repeating my message from last month.

While CTSAMM will give a more detailed brief later, I note that violations of the ceasefire, perpetrated by uniformed armed forces of SPLA-IG and SPLA-IO, and acts of violence and criminality by other armed groups continue unabated.

In greater Equatoria fighting continues alongside the targeting of civilians, gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and continuing incidents of sexual violence.

In Central Equatoria, armed groups continue to target vehicles and convoys carrying goods and civilians in acts of retaliation against government operations. And there are reports of a rise in inflammatory rhetoric, which carries the potential for wider violent ethno-centric conflict.

Numerous clashes between IO and IG forces and other armed groups continue almost daily across Western Bahr El-Ghazal, Upper Nile, and Unity States.

There is little doubt that this continued and growing trend of violence is having a very negative effect on the hopes of the people of South Sudan, and on the partners and countries who invest so much to support this country.

All Parties and armed groups owe it to the people of South Sudan to renounce violence and I appeal to all communities and to the armed forces of the Parties to the Agreement to exercise maximum restraint.

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We do, however, have some encouraging signs of cooperation and progress within the Articles of the Peace Agreement, and I wish to note and recognise these formally.

Within Chapter One, I welcome the approval by the TGoNU of the appointment of the Chairperson of the National Constitutional Amendment Committee, Mr Gichira Kibara.

Within Chapter Two, the Transitional Security Arrangement Mechanisms that I have previously described as “disintegrated” have now been revived and re-constituted. Whilst they are not all fully representative or inclusive, they are balanced and capable of driving this critical element of the Agreement forward.

The Joint Military Ceasefire Commission has met consistently each week for the past two months and is actively pursuing its terms of reference. It has fair representation from all Parties, with the notable exception of those forces who remain loyal to Dr Riek Machar.

Just last week, JMEC hosted a two-day JMCC workshop on the critical objective of cantonment with a clear aim of resolving key practical issues. I am pleased to report that participants from all Parties looked at the practical measures, approaches and principles that would be required to establish and prepare cantonment sites, with appropriate physical and logistic support. We will continue to support the JMCC in the execution of their task.

The Joint Integrated Police has in excess of 850 men and women currently positioned at the police training facility at Rajaf and has received approval from TGoNU to commence training. Various partners have indicated a willingness to help provide facilities and training support. Once underway, it is anticipated that the training programme will last up to six weeks and once completed they will deploy in and around Juba. It is encouraging that the trainees come from both principal Parties to the Agreement and that the female component of the trainees appears in excess of 25%.

The Chairperson of the SDSR Board is working closely with JMEC to continue the establishment of the Secretariat and Board. JMEC is confident that the previous work on Security Sector Reform in accordance with the Articles of Chapter Two can continue.

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We continue to place great emphasis on the issue of political inclusion. There remain notable gaps in representation within the political process and the Institutions and Mechanisms of the Peace Agreement.

The sustainability of the Peace process is of paramount importance. Our emphasis therefore remains on the need to re-establish an environment within which all the people of South Sudan, irrespective of their ethnicity or background, can safely return and engage in constructive and peaceful dialogue.

We urge the TGoNU and all Parties to the Agreement to create an enviroment conducive to inclusivity and constructive dialogue. We commend those who continue to bring a spirit of engagement and cooperation. All Parties must be included and must include themselves.

We urge all Parties, and most particularly the TGoNU, to demonstrate leadership and campaign for peace confidently. I appeal to the President of the Republic of South Sudan and the TGoNU to assume a higher profile and a more visible stance in propagating peace among all communities and citizens of South Sudan.

The only offensive South Sudan needs right now is a Peace Offensive. A nationwide campaign of visits and speeches, standing side by side with civil society leaders and speaking words of togetherness, forgiveness, and a unified future.

The voice and contribution of faith based leaders, women, Elders, private sector, civil society and youth cannot be understated. Their voice must be heard without fear of oppression or constraint.

We welcome the amnesty granted to the SPLA/IO soldiers who had crossed into the Democratic Republic of Congo. We support and encourage all such examples of reconciliation.

We further encourage the TGoNU to expand the democratic space in South Sudan, rather than reducing it. A responsible and ethical media can facilitate a culture of open dialogue. There can be no justification for shutting down and intimidating media simply for reporting divergent views.

On an internal note of inclusivity, I am concerned that the replacement of representatives by the legitimate bodies of Civil Society Organisations and Youth has had the effect of dramatically reducing the participation of women in JMEC. I therefore propose that both appointing bodies be allowed two representatives – one male and one female.

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

An inclusive political process can only be sustained within a secure environment. The deployment of the Regional Protection Force is a critical element within the establishment of a conducive environment that encourages and strengthens confidence in the implementation of the Agreement.

Last month we welcomed the commitments made by the TGoNU to review the transitional security arrangments for Juba in light of the agreed deployment of the Regional Protection Force. I find it regrettable, however, that final consent has not yet been given. With a minimum lead in time of six months, every day’s delay sets us back. We must all continue to work with UNMISS and TGoNU to expedite this matter to a swift conclusion.

I must also express my regret that the participation of one of our key partners has been disrupted. In light of the important role played by Kenya throughout this peace process, I hope and trust that the Government of Kenya will remain engaged and that we can work together for the greater good.

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Violent conflict and the attendant insecurity has deepened and widened the humanitarian crisis. Thousands of people continue to flee into exile. The influx of South Sudanese refugees (188,133) has turned Bidibidi refugee camp in Uganda into the third largest refugee camp in the world. I commend the international community for responding positively to appeals to fund humanitarian aid.

The numbers of Internally Displaced Persons has increased particularly in Eastern Equatoria and parts of Western Bar El Ghazal as people flee fighting and insecurity. The majority (over 80%) of IDPs are women and children.Additionally, a large percentage of the population remains food insecure as the economic situation worsens.

I welcome the release on 26 October of 145 children who had been conscripted into armed groups as child soldiers and urge that all parties end the illegal practice of recruiting children into fighting forces. I commend UNICEF and all partners working towards ending the use of child soldiers.

The immediate and constant Government facilitation of unhindered humanitarian access across the country is essential in relieving this dire situation. But humanitarian suffering and human rights violations in South Sudan are a direct product of the violence we are seeing. Only when the violence ends will the suffering stop.

On behalf of JMEC, I would like to offer our immense thanks for the exceptional service of the departing UN SRSG, Mrs Ellen Loej. We owe her a great debt of gratitude for her two years of commitment and we wish her well in her retirement.

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

South Sudan is going through a deep economic crisis, the roots of which lie in a protracted war and previously poor fiscal and economic management.

The economic situation deteriorated markedly with the violence in July. Monthly inflation averaged 41 per cent over the three months June - August and as of October the annualized inflation rate is 835%.

The economic situation interacts directly with the security situation. Security is a pre-requisite for a stable economy which is in turn a prerequisite for peace and prosperity. For any economic progress to occur, the security situation must be stabilized.

High levels of food insecurity now prevail due to low agricultural production as people continue to abandon the rural areas to flee the violence. Insecurity on major roads has disrupted transportation of goods to market. All these factors create inflationary pressures. With greater insecurity, international aid is increasingly diverted from development projects to humanitarian relief, further weakening the prospects of growth.

The TGoNU should be commended for the Draft Budget for 2016/17 tabled in Cabinet in October, which has cut expenditures by 50% in USD terms from the previous budget. Despite these deep cuts, however, only half of the spending is financed by revenues and grants. Only a small part of the remaining deficit is covered by the present financing plan. We hope that the TGoNU will come up with a plan to cover this shortfall.

The TGoNU has recently implemented two promising initiatives to better manage public finances. First, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has introduced a cash budget which means spending is related to and controlled by actual cash available.

Second, the Bank of South Sudan has established a Treasury Single Account into which all government revenues are to be deposited and from which all government disbursements should be made. A Treasury Single Account is a key provision of Chapter IV of the Agreement and is a pillar of international good practice in financial management. Revenues and expenditures are now to be clearly and transparently presented and monitored.

Going forward, a long term horizon in economic policy is needed. The government sector will need to be downsized to a level that can be financed sustainably.

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This Peace Agreement and pursuit of its articles and instruments remains our best hope and opportunity to make progress towards a sustainable settlement.

The security and humanitarian situation is precarious but there are areas within the Agreement where progress is being made, however slight.

I make the following recommendations:

• Hostilities must end and the ceasefire must be observed by all Parties and armed groups with immediate effect;
• Inclusivity and representation within the political process and representation of all Parties within the Institutions and Mechanisms of the Agreement must be credibly and actively re-established as quickly as possible;
• The TGoNU is encouraged to assume a higher profile and a more visible stance in campaigning for peace among the citizens of South Sudan;
• The progress of the Transitional Security Arrangement Mechanisms, the Ministry of Finance and Bank of South Sudan is noted, recognised and further encouraged;
• The institutions of the Agreement and the formation of those envisioned should be expedited;
• The Regional Protection Force should be deployed as quickly as possible to establish a neutral and secure environment within which implementation of the Peace Agreement can continue.

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

In conclusion, my expectations of this Plenary meeting are that:

• We continue to pronounce our commitment to this Peace Agreement and call upon all Parties to continue its implementation;
• We receive a detailed briefing from the TGoNU on progress made in implementing the Agreement to date, and in particular how they intend to make the process more inclusive;
• We receive an update on the current humanitarian situation from UNMISS and a clear commitment from the TGoNU to enable unhindered humanitarian assistance;
• We receive reports on the status of the various boards and commissions (JMCC, SDSRB, CTSAMM, JIP-MT) and their progress towards implementation of their tasks.

I must take this opportunity to thank all our partners in TGoNU, the other South Sudanese stakeholders, IGAD, AU, Troika, EU, China, UNMISS, the International partners and friends of South Sudan for their commitment and continued support.

The people of South Sudan look to us all to resolve the differences that will end this conflict and bring about a real prospect of peaceful and sustainable national development.

May God bless us all and guide us in the relentless pursuit of peace.

H.E. Festus Mogae

Chairperson, Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission

STATEMENT

BY

H.E. FESTUS G. MOGAE

CHAIRPERSON OF JMEC

TO THE

THE JMEC PARTNER’S MEETING

ON THE STATUS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT ON THE RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN

31 JULY 2016

KHARTOUM, SUDAN

Honorable Ibrahim Ghandour, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sudan; His Excellency Zhong Jianhua, the Chinese Special Envoy for African Affairs;

Your Excellencies; Special Envoys;  

And Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen; 

1. I thank you for continuing to convene this forum that supports the efforts of JMEC.  I very much welcome the opportunity to address you today.

2. In the past weeks I have conducted high level engagements and consultations with regional leaders and international partners, and, most importantly, the leaders of South Sudan.

3. We have endorsed the recommendations in the IGAD Plus Communiqué, and the AU Decisions adopted by the 27^th AU Summit in Kigali.  I addressed both bodies and conducted numerous bilateral consultations.  I will continue to support these decisions as the guideline for our way forward.

4. I have traveled back to Juba several times, and will continue to do so.  On the 25^th of July I met with H.E. Salva Kiir, General Taben Deng, and the Ambassadors representing JMEC member states.  I continue to engage leaders of both parties and signatories to the Peace Agreement.

5. I continue to urge the Parties to work within the framework of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.  This is critical especially now that there is an apparent division within the IO members.

6. Indeed, there are serious concerns that we all share:  Is there an end in sight to the recent hostilities in Juba and other parts of the country? Is the recent appointment and swearing in of a First Vice President’s replacement a legitimate IO position or a violation of the agreement?

7. What was this conflict all about, and what has changed since April 29^th? What happened between July 6^th to 11^th? What are we seeing now in Juba, and what does this all mean for JMEC and the peace agreement going forward? These are all questions that I know many of you would want to ask me, and how I wish I had answers to them.

8. I, just like all of you here understand that the peace agreement was not, and should not be about the two men: it is about bringing badly needed peace and stability to a young nation that is too familiar with war.

9. In other words, nobody but the leaders of South Sudan know what is going on, and their end game plan.  What we know is that the current relative calm can be deceptive.  We know that forces of both parties, and others allied to them continue to clash throughout the country, with a likelihood of larger battles increasing everyday.

10. While we don’t know the extent to which the SPLA-IO camp is in disarray, and who is in defacto control of the SPLA-IO now, what we know is that, it still retains the ability to conduct operations, and could threaten the relative calm of Juba, or revert to guerrilla warfare destabilizing different parts of the country.

11. We must therefore do everything, within the powers of the international community, and the regional guarantors to the ARCSS, to prevent a relapse into full-scale war and salvage the Agreement.

12. First, we must continue to engage Dr. Riek Machar, and understand the rules and regulations governing leadership changes within the SPLM-IO.

13. Second, security is the sine qua non of any peace agreement, and it is no different here.  The fighting must stop, or the suffering of the people will continue to increase.

14. Third, we must operationalize cantonment, and the eventual demobilization, disarmament and reintegration (DDR) of forces.

15. The economy continues its descent to complete failure.  Further deterioration of the security environment could lead to the cessation of oil production, which would eliminate the one viable source of income to the government.  Of course, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for the IMF to move forward with assistance in the current situation.  This too exacerbates what is a state on the cusp of economic collapse.

16. The humanitarian situation also continues to worsen, and the recent outbreak of cholera should be alarming to all.  Internally displaced persons and refugees continue to increase in numbers.  A return to normalcy seems as far away now as ever.

17. Finally, while the situation is dire, it is not without hope.  We encourage, and welcome good faith efforts by both parties to resume implementation of the agreement.  We urge all leaders to step back from the abyss of a second civil war.  I stress again: South Sudan is a nation of 12 million people, whose future we must safeguard.

18. The peace agreement, the Transitional Government of National Unity, are about the future of these millions, desperate for peace, afraid for their children, and increasingly living at one of the lowest levels of human security anywhere in the world.  This is not a legacy of which any leader can be proud.

19. I want to conclude my remarks with several recommendations, in addition to the ones I have already stated regarding security.

20. Going forward, I recommend that:

1. JMEC Partners condemn in the strongest terms the recent armed confrontation between the SPLA-IG and SPLA-IO and call for a full investigation and accountability for those who bear responsibility.

1. JMEC Partners urge the TGoNU of South Sudan to exercise its responsibility to protect its citizens from violence and ensure security for all.

III.        JMEC Partners call upon the parties to ensure the strict adherence by their respective forces to the Cessation of Hostilities and the Ceasefire and embark on full implementation of the Peace Agreement and its Transitional Security Arrangements.

1. JMEC Partners call for immediate cantonment of armed forces throughout the country in accordance with the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Workshop provisions.

1. JMEC Partners appeal to the International Community to take the necessary steps to address the dire humanitarian situation, and urge the TGoNU to ensure full, safe and unhindered access of humanitarian workers and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected internally displaced persons (IDPs) and put in place measures to provide protection and non-interference with humanitarian equipment and supplies.

1. JMEC Partners endorse the deployment of an international protection force to guarantee the protection of civilians, the return of Dr. Machar to Juba, and the resumption of implementation of the Peace Agreement.

VII.        JMEC Partners condemn in the strongest possible terms the continuing obstruction of CTSAMM-MVTs by State agents from implementing their tasks and mandate, and call upon the TGoNU to issue the necessary orders to guarantee CTSAMM freedom of movement.

VIII.        JMEC Partners should remind the Parties to adhere to their commitment to the Peace Agreement, and reiterate that it provides the best opportunity for South Sudanese stakeholders to amicably settle their differences, promote reconciliation and build sustainable peace. 

Mr. Chairman;

21. Finally, I plead with the JMEC Partners to remain seized of the situation in South Sudan, and to take all necessary measures, to ensure full implementation and adherence, by the Parties to the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.

I thank you.