PRESS RELEASE

(For Immediate Publication)

   Thursday, 21 March 2024, Juba, South Sudan

URGENT DIALOGUE THE WAY FORWARD TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN SOUTH SUDAN 

With the end of the extended transitional period fast approaching, a number of critical tasks remain unimplemented, and critical bodies, such as the Political Parties Council (PPC), the National Elections Commission (NEC) and the National Constitutional Review Commission(NCRC), remain unfunded with no clear timelines on the way forward. 

With elections as scheduled are barely nine months away, the Republic of South Sudan therefore needs clarity from the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) on how it is planning to expedite and complete the critical pending tasks necessary to conduct free, fair and credible elections in December 2024. 

In RJMEC's engagements with all key stakeholders and institutions and mechanisms of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), it is evident that there is a need for clear and actionable political guidance from the Executive of the RTGoNU and the Parties to the Agreement, without the loss of any more critical time and momentum. As such, urgent dialogue of the Parties to the R-ARCSS is the most expedient way to address the current political situation. 

It is clear that the way forward on elections depends on the Parties meeting and engaging in dialogue openly and constructively, in the spirit of collegiality and consensus. Against this backdrop, and as per Article 7.10 of the Peace Agreement, RJMEC has written to the RTGoNU and stressed on the importance of the inter-party consultations and constructive  dialogue, in order to forge a viable way forward, within the framework of Article 1.9.1 of the R-ARCSS, which states that: 

“the RTGoNU is founded on the premise that there shall be collegial collaboration in decision-making and continuous consultations within the Presidency, between the President, the First Vice President, and the Four Vice Presidents, to ensure effective governance during the Transitional Period.”

Even though implementation has not progressed according to the Roadmap timelines, it is nonetheless possible to make important strides in the coming months by undertaking various tasks as stipulated in the R-ARCSS. This will serve as a clear demonstration of the political goodwill needed to move forward while engaging in dialogue. 

ENDS