“Some of the board members are engaged elsewhere. Therefore, the meeting for today is cancelled until next month,” he announced.

“The exact date of the next meeting will be communicated in due time,” he added.

The board meeting was called to discussed the introduction of new Chair, Lieutenant General J.J Okot, the review of the status of the SDSR process and also agree on the way forward to complete the SDSR process.

According to Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict of South Sudan (ARCSS), the Board is expected to undertake a comprehensive assessment of South Sudan’s defence requirements, to inform the formulation of the country’s defence and security policies and subsequently lead to an overall process of security sector transformation, including the future command, function, size, composition and budget of South Sudan’s national army and security forces.

The Agreement envisages that process be comprehensive, inclusive, transparent and “underpinned by the national interest of promoting and defending the sovereignty and dignity of the country and its people.”

The SDSR reports to the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) and the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU). Its tasks are specified in Chapter II, Article 6 of ARCSS.