The AUPSC team addressing the media upon arrival at Juba International Airport-Photo Taban Henry
By Taban Henry
The African Union’s Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) team is in Juba as the country gears towards the end of the transitional period.
The planned visit is one of the recommendations aimed at encouraging the country as it embarks on the end-phase of the transition, and to start the laborious process to the post-transition era.
Speaking to the media upon arrival, the Kenyan Special Ambassador to the African Union Jean Kamau said that the purpose of the visit was to see the challenges impeding the implementation of the R-ARCSS.
“AUPSC decides to undertake a solidarity visit to South Sudan on the second anniversary of the formation of the Transitional Government on 22 February 2022 aimed at encouraging the country as it embarks on the end-phase of the transition, and start the laborious process to the post-transition era,” the statement read.
The Ambassador added that among other things, the council has requested AU commission to undertake three roles as South Sudan gears to the end period of the peace agreement.
The peace and the security council of the African Union will be in the country for three days at the historic moment when the government is celebrating two years in the office.
“This is the sixth visit of the African Union Security Council to come and review the peace process here in South Sudan and to assess the achievements which have been made, challenges and to provide solidarity and support to the people of South Sudan,” she said.
The Ambassador mentioned that during the three days visit, they will talk with almost cross section of stakeholders that include the government, civil society, political parties and some of the development partners mostly to get senses on how the peace process is going and to see how the African Union will continue to work in support of the peace process.
It is exactly two years since President Salva Kiir formed the Cabinet as per the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU), starting the 36 months transitional period.
With the clock ticking and barely 12 months to the end of the transitional period, most of the provisions of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement are either partially or not implemented.
The graduation of the necessary unified forces which is a crucial component of the security arrangements for the unification of forces that guarantees the implementation of the 2018 peace pact.
The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC)-the body overseeing the implementation of the agreement-acknowledge that progress has been made, particularly in terms of governance but noted that key tasks remain pending.
The commission said several key pieces of legislation are not ratified by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly and State governments are not fully functioning.