STATEMENT BY H.E. AMB. MAJ GEN (rtd) CHARLES TAI GITUAI INTERIM CHAIRPERSON, RJMEC ON STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE R-ARCSS DELIVERED TO THE AFRICAN UNION PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL

NOVEMBER 16, 2023

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

-    Chairperson of the AU Peace and Security Council,

-    Commissioner for the AU Political Affairs, Peace and Security,

-    Distinguished Permanent Representatives,

-    Your Excellencies,

-    Ladies and Gentlemen,

Your Excellency,

1.    I am honoured to once again address this august Council as the Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), consistent with my institution’s mandate to submit reports and provide regular briefings on the status of implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). This report builds on the one delivered by RJMEC to the 1123rd Session of the AU PSC on 30 November 2022.

2.    In September 2023, South Sudan marked five years since the signing of the Revitalised Peace Agreement. South Sudan has thus enjoyed the longest period of relative peace and stability since her independence. However, as previously reported, the slow pace of implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement necessitated a 24-month extension. This was to enable the completion of unification of forces, the making of the permanent constitution and to prepare for the conduct of credible, free and fair elections in December 2024.

3.    A more detailed report has been submitted to this Council. I will therefore only highlight a summary of the recent developments, current challenges impeding progress, and conclude with my recommendations to this Council.

Your Excellency,

4.    In November 2023, the Political Parties Council (PPC), the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC) and the National Elections Commission (NEC) were reconstituted. These institutions will require significant resources and capacity to deliver on their mandates.  In that regard, their effectiveness will pave the way towards registering, overseeing and regulating activities of political parties, widening of civic and political space, the making of the permanent constitution and for the conduct of elections as scheduled.

5.    The Permanent Ceasefire continues to hold despite sporadic skirmishes. On 15th November 2023, the first phase of deployment of the 55,000  graduated Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) commenced. This is a welcome development and the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) is encouraged to complete the deployment. However, training of Phase 2 of the unified forces and DDR process are yet to commence.

6.    The completion of this process would immensely contribute to peace and security in the country before, during and after elections. Furthermore, the drafting of the Strategic Defence and Security Review documents has been completed and is awaiting validation. 

7.    On Transitional Justice, the Bills on the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing (CTRH) and the Compensation and Reparation Authority (CRA) are to be submitted to Parliament. However, the establishment of the Hybrid Court for South Sudan has not progressed.

Your Excellency,

8.    There are several challenges facing the implementation of the Agreement. They include, among others,  lack of adequate funding to the Agreement Institutions and Mechanisms; insufficient political will, trust deficit among the Parties, capacity gaps, persistent levels of intercommunal violence, insecurity caused by holdout groups, severe flooding, IDP challenges and influx of returnees and refugees, including those fleeing the conflict in Sudan. In order for South Sudan to be able to complete implementation of the pending tasks and to hold elections as scheduled, there is an urgent need to address these challenges.

9.    In light of the aforementioned, I would like to request this Council to appeal to the AU, and the AU C5, as guarantors of the Revitalised Peace Agreement, to enhance their political engagements with the Parties and the RTGoNU, and encourage them to complete implementation of the critical pending tasks, especially the unification of forces and the making of the permanent constitution.  

10.    Similarly, I encourage this Council to conduct more solidarity visits to South Sudan with a view to continue engaging the Parties and assessing elections-preparedness especially at this time when the country is preparing for its first democratic elections since its independence. 

11.    As I conclude, I would like to underscore that the next 13 months will be an important period for the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.  In that regard, I would like to emphasise that there is an urgent need for this council, IGAD and the international partners to deliberately focus their attention and proactively play their roles to ensure South Sudan successfully transits to a democratic dispensation.

12.    Therefore, in a world of competing priorities, I appeal to the Council to remain seized on the South Sudan peace process and continue to stand firm in solidarity with the people of South Sudan.

I Thank You.