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.