-Your Excellency,the Chairperson of the IGAD Council of Ministers,

- Your Excellency,the Chairperson of the African Union Commission,

- Your Excellencies,Members of the Council,

- Your Excellency,IGAD Executive Secretary,

- Your Excellency,IGAD Special Envoy for SouthSudan

- Honorable Ministers,

- Your Excellencies,

- Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Your Excellency the Chairman

1. I thank you for inviting me to address the 66th Extra-Ordinary Session of the IGAD Council of Ministers. As the newly appointed Acting Chairperson of JMEC, I feel honored to continue with the passionate work of H.E. Festus Mogae, former President of the Republic of Botswana, and former Chairperson of JMEC.

2. His Excellency’s recommendation and support of the revitalization of the Peace Agreement was a watershed moment for the peace process in South Sudan. However, the level of success could not have been achieved without the support of this Council.

Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen,

3. I am pleased to report that there has been significant progress in the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, and the Parties to the Agreement have participated in a series of confidence building measures. JMEC believes that the momentum can be maintained. However, we would like to observe this is only but the beginning of the long road in the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement.

4. Key developments have already started taking place, including the ratification of the revitalized Peace Agreement by the Parties and the Transitional National Legislature. Nomination of the parties’ and stakeholders’ representatives to the various Agreement Institutions and Mechanisms have been received and some have been either established or reconstituted.

5.The National Pre-Transition Committee (NPTC) has been established and is operational. The National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC) and the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Monitoring and Verification Mechanisms (CTSAMVM) have been reconstituted and both have embarked on implementing their mandates.

6. This amounts to impressive progress in terms of trust- and confidence-building. I commend H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit and other political leaders of South Sudan for what they have achieved to date and urge them to sustain their commitment and the spirit of collaboration and cooperation as exhibited thus far.

7. I further commend the Parties who have released prisoners of war and/or political detainees pursuant to the spirit of the Revitalized Peace Agreement. I appeal to the Parties who have not yet done so to ensure that all prisoners of war and political detainees are released immediately.

Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen,

8. Even as we applaud the progress made so far, there are key targets required by the R-ARCSS Implementation Matrix that are yet to be achieved.

9. For example, key steps leading to the unification of the armed forces, and which were required to be undertaken during the Pre- Transitional Period, such as disengagement, separation, and cantonment of all the forces of the warring parties are yet to be implemented.

10. Furthermore, the establishment of Independent Boundaries Commission and the Technical Boundaries Committee, the formation of Joint Defense Board, and reconstitution of the Joint Military Ceasefire Commission, are yet to take place. In particular, we call on the regional guarantors and international partners who have not nominated their representatives to the organizations of the IBC and TBC to do so urgently, as stipulated in the R-ARCSS.

11.As part of its mandate, JMEC has publicly issued three implementation status reports. The reports provide details on activities which have been implemented, those that are pending, and offers recommendations on remedial actions necessary to expedite the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement in the agreed timeline.

12.I am also happy to inform this Council that the first meeting for the reconstitution of JMEC is scheduled for Monday November 19, 2018 here in Addis Ababa. Subsequent meetings of RJMEC will be convened in Juba.

Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen,

13.I wish to conclude with the following recommendations for the kind consideration by this Council:

• First, it is critical for the Parties and stakeholders to adhere to the timely implementation of its provisions. Therefore, the Council needs to consider appealing to the responsible Parties and actors to expedite the implementation of all aspects of the Agreement;

• Second, I appeal to the Council to urge the Parties to show their commitment to gender parity by ensuring that the required levels of women’s representation is respected. To date, the gender provision in Agreement Institutions has not been adhered to.

• Third, considering the current resource constraints in South Sudan, I urge that this Council sustains its diplomatic engagement with the AU, the UN, international partners and Friends of South Sudan and appeal for the technical and financial support necessary for the implementation of the R- ARCSS;

• Fourth, that this Council considers providing political guidance in the establishment of the Independent Boundaries Commission and the Technical Boundaries Committee, which have not yet been established and are running out of time. 

• Last but not least, this Council needs to prevail upon the South Sudanese stakeholders who are not signatory to the Revitalized Agreement to join in its implementation.

14. In conclusion, I reiterate my appreciation to this Council for delivering the long-awaited framework for peace in the Republic of South Sudan. In particular I recognize the role played by IGAD Heads of State and Government, and the IGAD Special Envoy for steering the revitalization process to its conclusion.

15. I also appreciate the goodwill and support from all regional and international partners and Friends of South Sudan for their solidarity with IGAD and South Sudan, and for the sustained efforts to revitalize the 2015 Peace Agreement.

16. Although the success of the revitalized 2018 peace agreement lies with all of us, ultimately the onus of its implementation rests with the South Sudanese parties and stakeholders.

God bless you. God bless South Sudan! I thank you.