HonourableMinisters, 

Excellencies, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning.

1.   I wish to start my statement by expressing profound sorrow at the passing on of H.E Chris Mburu the Kenyan ambassador to South Sudan, on Sunday 16thFebruary. On behalf of RJMEC, I wish to extend our condolences to his family, friends, the government and people of the Republic of Kenya. The RJMEC family has indeed lost an exemplary member, who devoted his time supporting the RJMEC in the discharge of its mandate. Wewill dearly miss him.

2.  I would like to commend H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit President of the Republic of South Sudan for the compromise he made on the 15thof February to revert the number of States to 10 as outlined in his letter to IGAD dated 15thFebruary 2020. In that regard, I applaud the leadership of IGAD and the regional Special Envoys for the role they played in helping the Parties to break the deadlock on the number and boundaries of states.  I urge the people of South Sudan, to welcome this decision, which will allow the formation of the RTGoNU in a timely manner and on a solid foundation.

3.  I further commend the Transitional National Legislative Assembly for ratifying the Constitutional Amendments Bill No. 6 (2020) as amended, and I am pleased to report that it has already been assented to by the President of the Republic of South Sudan. The Amended Constitution now provides the legal basis for the formation of the RTGoNU.

4.   The 100 days extension of the Pre-Transitional period ends on the 21stof February, and this meeting is the final opportunity to truly take stock of the status of implementation. At our last meeting, I informed you of my concern that two critical Pre-Transitional tasks were still outstanding i.e. the number of states and their boundaries as well as the training and redeployment of the Necessary Unified Forces. I am pleased to report that with the issue of the number of states and their boundaries resolved, we are now left with that of the unification of forces.

5.   In my statement today, I will highlight the status of implementation of the pending Pre-Transitional tasks, since our last monthly meeting, relating to the security arrangements, outline some recurring issues, and I will then conclude with my recommendations on the way forward. 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

6.   Firstly, on the unification of forces, CTSAMVM reports that significant progress has been made in moving personnel to the designated Training Centres, where at least 40,000 troops are currently assembled. Preliminary training activities are ongoing. So too is screening, which I witnessed recently in Rajaf Training Centre. Furthermore, at the Gorom training centre, I witnessed the assembly of 3339 trainees for the VIP Protection Force. However,training in accordance with the unification module is yet to start. JTSC should release this training module with immediate effect. 

7.   The unification process has been impeded by challenges including insufficient food, vehicles, medicines, shelter, and storage for food and weapons, and the lack of resources to cater for the special needs of female combatants and instructors. That said, I understand conditions across all the Training Centres are changing for the better. I expect to hear shortly from the JTSC on the status of screening and training, and in particular, I would like to hear when the training will commence in conformity with the unification module. 

8.   It is worth pointing out that overall, I found the morale and discipline among the trainees to be commendably high, in contrast to the conditions and the challenges at the training centres, which I mentioned earlier. Provision of basic needs such as clean water, soap, dignity packs, and the digging of pit latrines would go a long way towards improving the overall health and wellbeing of the trainees.  I urge the mechanisms responsible to address these challenges.  

9.   I am also concerned that cantonment sites may be closed or abandoned prior to the DDR transit sites being established. There must be a plan in place to deal with those personnel who fail to pass screening, those who do not complete training, or elect to go for reintegration into their communities.  At this stage it is not clear how this is going to be managed. I expect to receive an update from the JDB and the DDR Commission in this regard.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

10.    While I am pleased to note that the permanent ceasefire continues to hold across the country, I am concerned about the occupation of 22 civilian buildings by the government forces. In that regard, I have written to the Chief of Defense Forces of the SSPDF reminding him that this is a violation of the R-ARCSS and requested him to ensure that all the occupied civilian buildings are vacated immediately. I expect to hear from the CDF at this meeting about his efforts to comply with this requirement.

11.       As many of us may know, there have been discussions in Rome under the auspices of the Sant’Egidio organisation with a view to bring the hold-out groups into the peace process. It was agreed at the most recent Rome meeting to allow the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) to become a member of CTSAMVM and to continue political dialogue under the auspices of Sant’Egidio and IGAD.We should welcome this development. 

12.       I am pleased to say that the issue of Maiwut clashes has now been resolved, with the Parties to the conflict agreeing to a permanent ceasefire and committing to a peaceful resolution. CTSAMVM is however verifying details of violations during the conflict and will submit a report to IGAD and to RJMEC in due course.

13.       In my address to the Council of Ministers on the 8thof February, I appealed that the region, the international community, Partners and Friends of South Sudan speak with one voice in support of the peace process in South Sudan. I am pleased to see that this call was heeded in the IGAD Heads of State and Government communiqué of 9thFebruary, and I urge all of us to take this appeal seriously.  

14.       Finally, it is clear that all must prepare for the formation of R-TGoNU. Accordingly, I would like to highlight the fact that in addition to the unification of forces mentioned previously, the following important Pre-Transitional tasks, have not yet been completed.

a)   enactment by the TNLA of the security laws;  

b)  submission of the Parties nominees for the Transitional National Legislative Assembly to the NCAC; and

c)   allocation of ministerial portfolios to the various Parties. 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

15.       On the 18thof February, I and the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, Amb Wais, were invited to Khartoum by IGAD Chairperson for consultations. We had the opportunity to discuss recent developments in the implementation of the R-ARCSS, and the current situation and necessary preparatory steps towards the formation of the RTGoNU.

 16.       I can report that:

a.    Sudan as the IGAD Chair is fully seized of the situation in South Sudan and is discussing with other IGAD leaders on necessary steps to support the immediate formation of RTGoNU;

b.   The President of Sudan has promised to continue supporting the implementation of the Peace Agreement; and 

c.    The Chairman and the other IGAD leaders are in the process of preparing a roadmap towards the formation of the RTGoNU. The proposed roadmap will highlight key tasks, and necessary steps towards the formation of the RTGoNU as provided for in the Agreement. We hope to receive this roadmap as soon as it is ready.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

17.       I would like to close with my recommendations for the way forward. 

a)   that the unification of forces continues, with particular emphasis on expediting screening, training and redeployment of the Necessary Unified Forces;

b)  ensure that the administration for trainees and logistics support to the training centres is improved;

c)   that the DDR Commission is empowered and funded so as to effectively deliver on its mandate;  

d)  that the Government of the Republic of South Sudanprovide the necessary funding to the Security Mechanisms, to enable continued progress in the unification of forces, subject to the principles of transparency and accountability;  

e)   that the international community, Partners and Friends of South Sudan continue to support the full implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement; and

f)    that the region, the international community, Partners and Friends of South Sudan speak with one voice in support of the peace process.

18.       In closing, and as we are approaching the date for the establishment of the RTGoNU, I call on the Parties to capitalise on the gains made since the signing of the R-ARCSS on the 12thSeptember 2018, and continue to build towards a lasting and sustainable peace in South Sudan.

19.       I wish you fruitful deliberations.

Thank you.

HonourableMinisters, 

Excellencies, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning.

1.   Let me start by wishing all of you a Happy New Year, and I am sure you will join me in hoping that this will be the year that will herald lasting peace for the people of South Sudan. Before proceeding, I would like to make a few points. Firstly, I would like to inform you that the latest RJMEC Quarterly Report for the fourth quarter of 2019, is now ready, and a copy will be provided to you today. Next, I would like to welcome the new CTSAMVM Chairperson, Major General Teshome Gemechu Aderie, and in the same vein, I would like to appreciate the contribution of his predecessor, Major General Desta, as well as congratulate him on his recent promotion to Lt. General. I wish him all the best in his future endeavours. On a sad note, I wish on the behalf of the RJMEC members, to offer our condolences to the family and friends of the Honourable Steward Sorobo Budia, a signatory to the Agreement for the United Democratic Party, who passed on recently. 

2.   As all of us are aware, we have passed the 50 days mark of the 100 days extension, and in fact, today we are only 30 days away from the expiry of the 100 days extension. As you may recall in the last RJMEC updated status of implementation of agreed Pre-Transitional tasks, we highlighted the ten critical Pre-Transitional tasks that were outstanding, in addition to the issue of the number of states and their boundaries. I am concerned that with only 30 days left, these same Pre-Transitional tasks are still outstanding.

3.   In my statement today, I will highlight the status of implementation of the critical Pre-Transitional tasks since our last monthly meeting, highlight some recurring issues, and I will then conclude with my recommendations on the way forward.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

4.    As has been clear throughout the statements I have made to this and other meetings, there are two critical pending tasks necessary for the formation of the R-TGoNU on a solid foundation. They are the unification of forces, and the issue of the number of states and their boundaries. 

5.   Firstly, the unification of forces. There have been thousands of troops reporting to training centres, having been transported from cantonment sites. The JTSC will provide a clearer picture in its report shortly.  However, I am concerned that the screening of forces has not started yet, even though the screening teams are reported to be ready to begin. Of course, no training can take place before screening, and the more it is delayed, the more the time that will be lost in beginning the training of the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF). I therefore urge the Joint Defence Board (JDB) to ensure that the screening, selection and training of forces starts immediately in consultation with the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission.  

6.   With regard to observation of the Permanent Ceasefire, I would like to express my concern regarding the developments in Maiwut. The reported loss of life and displacement of the civilian population are unacceptable. I understand that the SSPDF and SPLM/A-IO have taken steps to address the situation. CTSAMVM will give further details in its report. In addition, I call on the concerned parties to cease all hostilities, and to fully observe the Permanent Ceasefire. I also urge the authorities to take steps to ensure the protection of the civilian population.

7.   Furthermore, I remain concerned by the continued occupation of civilian centres contrary to Article 2.2.3.1 of the R-ARCSS. This is an issue that should be straightforward to resolve, but it continues to come up. CTSAMVM’s recent report shows that in the last month, buildings in two schools have been occupied by the SSPDF. This makes a total of 25 occupied buildings, of which 24 are by the SSPDF and 1 by SPLM/A-IO. I would like to ask the JDB to explain why this continues to be an issue. 

8.   Secondly, the issue of the number of states and their boundaries remains outstanding despite several efforts to resolve it. Following the directive of the IGAD Council of Ministers at its 69thExtra-Ordinary session[1], the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan convened two rounds of meetings facilitated by H.E. David Mabuza, the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, and the Regional Special Envoys. The meetings adjourned last week with a proposal for the establishment of an Arbitration Committee to settle the matter, and the Parties were given a week to deliberate on the proposal. I wish to commend H.E. David Mabuza and the Special Envoys for their efforts thus far, and I encourage them to continue engaging the Parties. As RJMEC Chair, I appeal to the leadership of the Parties to compromise and take all necessary steps to arrive at a consensual and pragmatic political solution.   

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen 

9.   Overall, my observation is that the optimism that the Security Mechanisms expressed at the last monthly meeting has not been matched by their performance in implementation since then. All of them have fallen behind the timelines of their action plans. Despite the commitment by the Security Mechanisms to coordinate their activities more closely, this still has not happened. I urge the JDB to remedy the situation as soon as possible. I also expect that the implementation will be fast-tracked in the remaining 30 days. It is also essential that additional funds be provided, and that the requirements of accountability and transparency are observed. 

10.  I am encouraged by reports of continuing in-kind support being extended by some partners. In this regard, I would like to thank the governments of Japan and China for their most recent donations. That said, I remain concerned with the very slow distribution of these donations from Juba to the designated cantonment sites and training centres. I urge the NPTC to ensure the immediate distribution of all the in-kind donations to the designated sites, and to clear up any confusion about roles and responsibilities in this regard. I once again appeal for more support for the implementation of the Agreement.  

11.  On the engagement with the hold-out groups in the peace process, I was pleased to learn of the Sant’Egidio-facilitated meeting in Rome and the resulting declaration on the cessation of hostilities and commitment to dialogue. I welcome this development, and appeal to IGAD and the Parties to embrace this process. 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen 

12.   In view of the above, my recommendations are as follows.

a)   The mid-term review of the 100 days extension to be immediately conducted by the Guarantors to assess the status of implementation of the security-related critical Pre-Transitional tasks, to determine the way forward;

b)  The Security Mechanisms to enhance their cooperation and take steps to expedite and concurrently implement the pending tasks of screening, selection and training of the NUF;

c)   The leadership of the Parties to demonstrate the spirit of compromise and press for a timely political resolution of the issue of the number of states and their boundaries;  

d)  More funding be availed to the Security Mechanisms to enable progress of the unification of forces, while observing the requirements of accountability and transparency;

e)   In-kind support stored in Juba to be transported to the cantonment sites and training centres according to the needs, and to that end, I recommend that the JDB be tasked with delivering these resources; and

f)    All occupied civilian buildings to be vacated without exception.

13.  Finally, I had written to the Mechanisms directing them to focus their reports specifically on the progress of the implementation of the activities planned to be executed during the 100 days extension, challenges faced, and the way forward in addressing the remaining tasks. I therefore expect this meeting to carefully consider the reports of the Mechanisms, review the progress made, and provide guidance on the way forward.

14.  I wish you fruitful deliberations.

Thank you.

HonourableMinisters, 

Excellencies, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning.

1.  I welcome all of you to the 10thRJMEC meeting.  This meeting is important because the extended Pre-Transitional Period is due to end in less than four weeks. Ideally, at this stage we should all be excited with the real prospect of the R-TGoNU being formed, but unfortunately, we still have a lot of work to do in the days ahead to cross this bridge. I will revert to this matter later on in my statement.

2.  My statement today will highlight only the most recent progress made in the implementation of the activities of the Pre-Transitional period, but will particularly focus on the critical outstanding tasks necessary for the timely and smooth formation of the RTGoNU, and I will conclude with some recommendations on the way forward.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

3.   Since our last meeting held in September, some progress has been made in the cantonment of forces. Out of the 25 designated cantonment sites for the opposition and 10 barracks for government forces, 24 cantonment sites and 6 barracks are operational. The total number of troops registered continuesto increase, and I expect to hear the latest details from the Security Mechanisms. I commend the Security Mechanisms for the significant progress made in registration. I note, however, that registration is just a first step. What follows is screening, selection, training and deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces. I therefore urge the remaining process to be expedited and to be undertaken concurrently to catch up with lost time.

4.   As you will recall, the IGAD Council of Ministers had required that at least half of the 83,000 Necessary Unified Forces “be cantoned and barracked, trained and deployed before the end of September 2019”. Unfortunately, this deadline was not met. I am, however, encouraged to hear that about 1,500 trainers are ready to begin their work. I appeal to the Security Mechanisms to expedite the selection of the forces for immediate training. In addition, I urge the DDR Commission to begin their work in the cantonment sites and barracks. I await an update from the JTSC on the plan for commencement of the training of forces. 

5.   On Tuesday 15 October, I briefed the AU Peace and Security Council and also the Chairperson of the IGAD Council of Ministers on the status of the pending Pre-Transitional tasks. In my message to both the Council and the Chairperson, I observed that it is unlikely that the 83,000 Necessary Unified Forces will be trained and deployed by the deadline of 12thNovember 2019.   

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,  

6.  In addition to the training and deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces, there are a number of other critical tasks vital to the formation of the RTGoNU. These include the following: 

a.     resolution of the number and boundaries of the States;

b.     enactment of the Constitutional Amendment Bill and the other Bills;

c.      agreement on allocation of ministerial portfolios; 

d.     submission by the Parties of their nominees for the TNLA to the NCAC; and 

e.     complete demilitarization of civilian centres.

7.  These tasks can be expedited and resolved by the leadership of the Parties before the November 12thdeadline. In my consultations with the Parties yesterday, they tentatively agreed to hold a meeting this Saturday to address some of the outstanding issues.    

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

8.  Overall, the RJMEC Secretariat’s assessment is that of the 63 identified Pre-Transitional tasks, 31 tasks have been completed, 22 are ongoing, and 10 are still pending. The updated assessment matrix has been shared with all of you. 

9.  Indeed, the full implementation of the Pre-Transitional tasks was intended to lay a firm foundation for the effective implementation of the Agreement and for the Parties to demonstrate their commitment to implement the Agreement in letter and spirit. The tasks were also informed by the bitter experiences of forming a government without the legal and security foundation during the 2015 Peace Agreement. 

10.  As I told the AU PSC and Chairperson IGAD Council of Ministers on Tuesday, there is no doubt that the Revitalized Peace Agreement has yielded dividends in the Republic of South Sudan. Since the signing of the Agreement, the Permanent Ceasefire has held and there is an overall improvement in the security and humanitarian situation across the country. According to UNMISS, close to 600,000 people have returned to their homes. These are gains that must be consolidated by ensuring that there is a firm foundation upon which the RTGoNU is established.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

11.       In view of the above, I would like to make the following recommendations:

a.        the Incumbent TGoNU should, as a matter of urgency, availmore andadequate resources to the NPTCtofacilitate ongoing cantonment, concurrent training and deployment of forces;

b.        the Parties should meet and resolve the outstanding issue of the number and boundaries of States without further delay;

c.         the leadership of the Parties should meet very soon and agree on what options are available come the 12thNovember deadline; 

d.        the regional and international partners and friends of South Sudan should enhance their financial, political and in-kind support to the full implementation of the R-ARCSS.

12.       In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that the gains of the last 13 months must be consolidated, and I call upon the RJMEC members to pronounce themselves and provide guidance on the best way forward.   

13.       I wishyou fruitful deliberations.

I thank you.

Honourable Ministers, 

Excellencies, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning.

1.  Welcome to our seventh RJMEC monthly meeting.

2.  I will divide my statement into four sections. The first section will provide an update on action points arising from the last Plenary, while the second will provide an update on the status of implementation of the Agreement and the critical pending tasks of the Pre-Transitional Period. Thirdly, I will highlight recurring challenges, and then conclude with my recommendations for the coming period.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen;

3.  In the last Plenary, it was resolved that cantonment be expedited and should commence by the 15thJune. To begin with, the JMCC and the JTSC have moved forward with the cantonment planning process. The JMCC has conducted assessment visits to designated cantonment sites. I am encouraged by the formation and training of the Area Joint Military Ceasefire Committee (AJMCC) and the Joint Monitoring Ceasefire Teams (JMCTs). Last Friday, the JMCC completed the training of 154 personnel here in Juba who will operate the cantonment sites. More details will be presented by the JDB and the other security mechanisms shortly.

4.  There is also some progress to report on the formation of the DDR Commission. The representatives of the Parties and stakeholders met and agreed on its restructuring. It was also agreed that either the Chairperson or the Deputy shall be a woman. The Parties and stakeholders have been requested to submit the names of their nominees to the IGAD Special Envoy, who will vet the suitably qualified candidates and submit them to the NPTC. The NPTC will then make the appointments accordingly. 

5.  I also had the honour of addressing the African Union Peace and Security Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the current situation in South Sudan and on the status of implementation of the Agreement. I informed the Council on the remarkable improvement in the overall security situation since the signing of the R-ARCSS. 

6.  I also highlighted the progress made in the implementation of the Agreement, and the challenges which remain. I appealed to the Council to persuade the AU Commission and its member states to extend the requisite support to its implementation.

7.  Concerning the identified gaps within the security mechanisms, I am pleased to report that the AU C5 Ambassadors invited RJMEC and the Office of the Special Envoy to Addis to give details and provide a list of in-kind support that can be made available for cantonment. Since then, members of the JDB, the JTSC and JMCC have been to Addis to follow up on the assistance, and we look forward to hearing the details shortly.

8.  Regarding the occupation of civilian centres by the military, I wrote to the Chairman of the JDB requesting him to issue instructions to respective commanders for their troops to vacate all occupied civilian centres by 15thJune 2019. I am encouraged by the latest CTSAMVM report on this matter. The CTSAMVM Chairperson will provide more details shortly.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen;

9.  Regarding the status of implementation of the Agreement and the critical pending tasks. To begin with, the Independent Boundaries Commission. I have been informed that the Commission is writing its report, and I expect it to be completed in the next few days. As per the Revitalized Agreement, the report of the IBC shall be presented to the IGAD Executive Secretary, who will then communicate the same to the Parties. 

10.  With regards to the amendment of the Constitution and relevant laws. The Constitutional Amendment Bill 2019 has been returned to the NCAC to incorporate the six-month extended Pre-Transitional Period, ahead of its ratification by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly. Five of the six security-related laws and the Political Parties Act have been reviewed and submitted to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. I am aware that the NCAC members were unable to reach consensus on one key provision within the National Security Services Act as amended which may require further discussions. The Chairperson of NCAC will provide more details.

11.  I have also reviewed and approved a new work schedule for the NCAC during this extension period, allowing them to draft the Fire Brigade Act, and to begin work on three legislations which were intended to be worked on during the Transitional Period. These are:

·      the Public Finance Management Act;

·      the National Audit Chambers Act; and

·      the Anti-Corruption Act.

 Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen;

12.  Now for some recurring challenges. In terms of denial of access, CTSAMVM reports that there has been considerable improvement since late April, with only one new instance of denial of access being reported, which was by the SSPDF. 

13.  On the issue of notice for CTSAMVM to verify forces at a particular location, it is my understanding that CTSAMVM is required to give prior notice of the intended verification. However, in a situation where a violation is alleged at any location, CTSAMVM shall be granted unconditional access. 

14.  On the security situation, I am pleased to note that the permanent ceasefire continues to hold across the country, while attention is turned to cantonment and the training of the Necessary Unified Forces. Unfortunately, there is still violence and an unacceptable number of deaths linked to cattle rustling. This requires the urgent attention of the government. 

15.   In terms of the humanitarian situation, recent data supplied by OCHA suggests that humanitarian access continued to improve generally across South Sudan. Furthermore, humanitarian agencies accessed the vast majority of the country without major incidents. This is encouraging because it provides the enabling environment for the return of refugees and IDPs to their homes. However, the onset of rainy season will have a constraining effect on reaching the people. Additionally, I am aware that the inclusive Humanitarian Coordination Unit (HCU) was launched on the 10th May, and I would be keen to hear how it is progressing.

16.  Currently, South Sudan’s economy demonstrates relatively improved inflation rates and a fairly stable exchange rate. Although inflation rates are still in double digits, it remains well below the very high levels experienced prior to the signing of the Peace Agreement. 

17.  Increased revenues from the opening of oil fields previously closed during the conflict is another one of the benefits being derived from the permanent cease fire. However, additional reforms in the financial management system are needed to achieve efficient use of resources and attract foreign direct investment.

18. Despite an apparent reduction in reported cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), it remains a concern. However, I am encouraged by the ongoing discussion about the establishment of an SGBV court by the Judiciary, and the adoption by the South Sudanese Peoples Defence Forces of an Action Plan to eradicate SGBV by the military. These are two important developments.

19.   Finally, in my recent consultation with the RJMEC stakeholders, I learnt with concern the challenges being faced by civil society in disseminating the Peace Agreement. I appeal to the Parties to the Agreement to facilitate civil society in their efforts to contribute to the peace.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen;

20.  I will now outline some key recommendations.

a)  I urge the Security Mechanisms to open the cantonment sites and ensure that all forces report to the designated sites or barracks.

b)  In that respect, I urge the NPTC to avail the requisite resources to the mechanisms without delay. 

c)  I call upon all Parties to step up joint confidence building measures, from the highest political level to the grassroots. 

d)  I urge the Parties to the Agreement to takes steps to eradicate SGBV in their areas of responsibility, to ensure protection and safety of women and girls in areas under their control, and to continue accountability measures for those found culpable of SGBV violations.

20.  I wish you fruitful deliberations today. 

I thank you.