Speaking during the 16thReconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) monthly meeting in Juba on Thursday 4 February 2021, Interim Chairperson Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai reiterated that implementation of the TSA as envisaged in the R-ARCSS is vital. However, he told the meeting that “no progress is reported on the training, graduation and redeployment of Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) under Phase I.” He warned that  “protracted delays and passing of time without progress is detrimental to lasting peace in South Sudan.” 

Outstanding issues, he conitnued, include the establishment of a unified command structure for the NUF (Necessary Unified Force), and addressing the ‘ranking’ (of personnel) process and the management of excess senior officers.

Reporting to the meeting about a recent visit to training sites for the NUF, the RJMEC Interim Chairperson said: “It was disheartening to observe that a lack of food and other essential resources, such as medicines, shelter and separate facilities for women, has led to the suffering of the trainees, and to some trainees abandoning the training centres.” Gen. Gituai urged the RTGoNU to avail the necessary resources for the implementation of the Peace Agreement, including the TSA.

In addition, the Interim Chairperson raised concerns about insufficient women’s representation as required in the Revitalised Peace Agreement, urging the Parties to expedite the appointment of all personnel to the government structures at the sub-national level, while observing the 35% level for women’s representation. 

Further, the Interim Chairperson called for continued focus on the investigation, arrest, prosecution and sentencing of perpetrators of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) crimes, as well as continued training and sensitisation on SGBV issues within the Organised Forces. 

In his recommedations to the meeting, the Interim Chairperson called on the ITGoNU (Incumbent Transitional Government of National Unity), SPLM/A-IO, SSOA (South Sudan Opposition Alliance) and OPP (Other Political Parties) to submit their nominations to National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC).

This is in order to facilitate the reconstitution of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) and the Council of States, while observing the 35% level for women’s representation.  He also appealed to the ITGoNU to “submit the list of its representatives to the permanent constitutional process workshop to facilitate timely planning and its convening without delay.”

Finally, as the country looks forward to marking ten years of independence for South Sudan on 9 July 2021, the Interim Chairperson said: “It is incumbent on all of us to push hard on the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement so that the ten-year celebrations will mark not only the milestone of a decade of independence, but also significant progress in the implementation of the Peace Agreement.”