PRESS RELEASE

(For Immediate Publication)

Friday, Feb 2nd, 2018, Juba, South Sudan

For accurate, effective reporting, enhance your understanding of ACoH, JMEC urges South Sudan media

The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) Deputy Chairperson Lt. Gen. Amb. Augostino Njoroge has called on the South Sudan media to enhance their understanding of the recently signed Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities (ACoH), for effective and informed reporting.

He was speaking during the closing of a two-day workshop on Friday, themed “Enhancing the Implementation of Cessation of Hostilities Agreement through effective media engagement, for the media in South Sudan” on Friday in the capital Juba.  

The workshop targeting journalists in the country, was organized by JMEC, UNDP, UNESCO, Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), and Association of Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS)

Amb. Njoroge termed the workshop as “both timely and of great importance” as it presents an opportunity to all the participants to understand the recently signed ACoH.

“As the media, you should ask questions in order to be well-informed, analyse the stories that you publish and be the bridge that ensures that you not only be a watchdog, but also educate the population on their rights and responsibilities as citizens of this country. You must help in reforming, reshaping, educating and strengthening the society to understand what is at stake,” he said.

“In addition, you should continuously agitate for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the country. You must rise above all tribal, social, political and economic vices and work together to ensure that you hold the leaders accountable. This way, working together, we believe we will promote peace and good governance in this country.”

During the workshop, attended by about 50 media representatives, the attendees were also updated on the High Level Revitalization Forum on the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), whose first phase was held in the Ethiopian Capital, Addis Ababa in December last year.

“The first phase of the Forum saw fourteen South Sudanese parties and other key stakeholders come together to discuss the challenges that face South Sudan after eighteen months of implementation of the signed Agreement,” he said.

“We, in JMEC remain hopeful that the next phase of the IGAD-led revitalization process will provide us with an effective platform that will help resolve the insecurity, governance, economic and humanitarian crises that continue to overwhelm South Sudan.”