-       President of the UN Security Council,

-       Distinguished Members of the Council,

-       Excellencies,

-       Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.

Mr President,

1.    I congratulate you and the Republic of Sierra Leone for assuming the presidency of the Security Council this month. May I also thank you for inviting the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) to address this esteemed Council.

2.    RJMEC is the official oversight body responsible for overseeing, monitoring and evaluating the status of the implementation of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.

3.    Next month, South Sudan marks six years since the signing of the Revitalised Agreement, its longest period of relative peace and stability since independence in 2011. However, since then, the pace of implementation has been slow.

4.    Despite the extension of the Transitional Period by 24 months, key tasks such as completion of the unification of forces, making of the permanent constitution, and various elections-related preparatory tasks are still outstanding.

5.    My briefing today builds on previous RJMEC reports to this Council, and will therefore highlight our assessment of the status of implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement.

Mr President,

6.    In terms of governance, the Executive and Legislature have continued to convene regularly and discharge their respective mandates at the national and state levels.

7.    In preparation for elections, the Political Parties Council has adopted a Code of Conduct, and registered 29 political parties, but concerns exist regarding the procedures followed, and the registration fees. The National Elections Commission has reconstituted the State level High Committees, but there are concerns about criteria used, and gender representation.

8.    With regards to the prospects of elections, an inter-party Committee reviewed the Roadmap implementation, and submitted its report to the Principals, who met yesterday, 13 August. In response, the Parties to the Agreement by consensus have tasked the relevant institutions and the inter-party Committee to develop a realistic timetable for elections. It is expected that the timetable will be accompanied by a budget and guaranteed funding.

9.    In terms of the Transitional Security Arrangements, the permanent ceasefire continues to hold, which is commendable. Approximately 55,000 of the 83,000 Phase 1 Unified Forces were trained and graduated. Since then, eight battalions of the army component have been deployed, with the remainder still not yet deployed.

10.    In addition, 2,995 non-commissioned police officers of the Unified Forces were recently appointed into the South Sudan National Police Service and await deployment. Phase 2 training of the Unified Forces and the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration process have yet to commence.

11.    Regarding the ongoing Nairobi talks, also known as Tumaini Initiative, the Revitalised Agreement Parties have directed that outcomes should align with the Revitalised Peace Agreement.

12.    On humanitarian affairs, the situation in the country remains challenged by food insecurity, flooding, and the influx of refugees and returnees from Sudan. Importantly, the Special Reconstruction Fund provided for in the Agreement, intended to mobilise resources to support humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in South Sudan, has not yet been established.

13.    The resource, economic and financial management reforms continue, albeit at a slow pace. On the other hand, the economic situation continues to worsen, compounded by a reduction in oil revenue. Much of the population is in distress due to rising commodity prices, a decline in the value of the South Sudan Pound, and reduced purchasing power.

14.    The bills for the establishment of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing and the Compensation and Reparation Authority, are still in Parliament. These institutions are intended to drive forward the much-needed process for reconciliation and healing in South Sudan.

15.    In terms of the Permanent Constitution making process, the National Constitutional Review Commission has made strides to enhance its internal readiness. However, key tasks, which include civic education and public consultations, have not substantively begun.

Mr President,

16.    The main challenges in the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement include insufficient political will, trust deficit among the Parties, capacity gaps, and persistent levels of intercommunal violence in the states. Furthermore, all the Agreement institutions and mechanisms have insufficient and unpredictable funding which is hampering their work.

17.   Nonetheless, the Revitalised Agreement has contributed to relative peace, inclusive governance structures, and the ongoing legal, security and economic reforms. It is evident that the Revitalised Agreement remains the most viable blueprint and transformative framework for achieving enduring peace and prosperity.

18.  I therefore appeal to this Council to remain seized of the peace process in South Sudan and to encourage the international community to mobilise resources and political support for full implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. I Thank You.