By Philip Buda Ladu
A high-level committee for implementation of the revitalized peace agreement (R-ARCSS) is calling for patience from the citizens as it engages with election and security-related institutions to come up with a precise recommendation on the polls meant to end the transitional period.
On Thursday, the committee listened to a report from the election-concerned institution on what it takes to hold free and fair democratic elections, which will eventually officially bring the endless transitions to a stop.
Puot Kang Chol, minister of petroleum in the unity government and the deputy chairperson of the high-level implementation committee for the revitalized peace agreement, briefed the media shortly after their closed-door meeting.
He stated that the contents of the report they received will determine the fate of the elections at the end of the current year.
He also appealed to the people to remain calm while the parties engage in a constructive and serious dialogue on how to end the transitional period peacefully.
“We have listened to the report from the election-related institutions, and we shall be listening to the report of the security institutions in the next meeting,” Kang told the media.
He noted that they have collected the report and are going to deliberate on it as a high-level committee, after which their recommendations to the leadership of the country on ending the transition will emanate.
Mr. Kang, commended the concerned election institutions for their detailed report, saying they have candidly responded to the questions that were forwarded to them.
“We will go analyze and look at all of them (reports) and come up with a precise and direct recommendation to the leadership,” he underscored.
On August 14, 2024, the U.S. Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, urged the transitional unity government (RTGoNU) to come out boldly and declare the elections’ conduct.
While briefing the UN Security Council meeting in New York about South Sudan, Amb. Linda emphasized that it is long past time that South Sudanese experience the peace, security, and freedom they have long demanded, fought for, and so deserve.
The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) interim chairperson, Rt. Lt. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai, also briefed the UN Security Council, where he highlighted the status of the implementation of the revitalized agreement.
Gituai noted that despite the extension of the Transitional Period by 24 months, key tasks such as the completion of the unification of forces, the making of the permanent constitution, and various election-related preparatory tasks are still outstanding.
In July 2024, information minister and rapporteur to Nairobi peace talks, Michael Makuei, said the Presidency will use the Tumaini Consensus Agreement once signed and the peace roadmap evaluation report to determine the conduct of the elections.
Meanwhile, in mid-August 2024, President Salva Kiir Mayardit held talks with political leaders to discuss the feasibility of holding elections due to take place in December.
The leaders then tasked the election institutions with determining the fate of the elections.
Despite the National Election Commission (NEC) announcing December 22, 2024, as the date for the polls meant to conclude the September 2018 revitalized peace agreement and end the series of transitions, the political climate remains uncertain for the upcoming elections.