By William Madouk
The transitional unity government has promised to meet requisite milestones on the revitalized agreement that could lead to credible elections, despite challenges.
Acting minister of Foreign Affairs said government has not lost focus on implementation of the 2018 peace deal, adding that the government is fully committed to meet dateline stipulated in the roadmap.
“While engaged on Sudan issue, South Sudan has not lost focus on its own problems, notably the implementation of R-ARCSS despite challenges, we will continue to meet the requisite millstone of the agreement,” Dau said.
“So, the government has not lost focus on this, we are determined that we will meet the dateline that we have given to ourselves,” he continued.
Mr. Dau made this statement yesterday during his briefing to the diplomatic community in Juba over the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Initiative on Sudan crisis.
Mr. Dau cited that government is now engaged with the UN mission in South Sudan on elections processes and issues related to constitutional making process.
“We have a joint taskforce for us to be able to focus on this part – constitutional making process and the elections,” acting minister explained.
“In that case, we have to talk about reconstitution of the political parties and the reconstitution of the reconstituted elections commission,” he added.
The Acting minister for Foreign Affairs echoed their commitment to roadmap timeline, asserting that Ministry of Justice now is working on pending bills that could lead to holding of credible elections.
“The Ministry of Justice is working on that line – leading to the conduct of free and fair elections. Our hope is that with these efforts it will culminate into the elections by the end of transitional period of the roadmap,” Dau noted.
Yesterday, the UN Human Rights experts called for crucial support to the parties of the revitalized peace agreement to expedite peace implementation and meet the deadline as per the roadmap.
As parties to the 2018 peace deal are on point to ending the 2-year, a grace period spelled in the roadmap, a lot of tasks that could see credible elections at the end of the transitional period remain pending.
This includes setting up of institutions and mechanisms necessary to hold free, fair and transparent elections in December 2024, which is two months before the transition elapses.
The UN Human Rights said the interruption was exacerbated by continued human rights violations and lack of political will among the parties to the agreement.
On early April, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) recently voiced concerns over the sluggish pace of implementation of the peace agreement.
RJMEC interim chairman Charles Tai Gituai noted that a lot of work needs to be done if the roadmap timelines are to be met.
Gituai observed that, despite the law being enacted more than eight months ago, no significant progress has been made in the reconstitution of the Political Parties Council.
Additionally, he noted, the National Elections Act’s enactment and operationalization are far behind schedule.
“As a result of these delays, all the elections-related tasks, including the establishment and functioning of institutions that drive the election process, are behind schedule,” Gituai stated.
Gituai added that despite RTGoNU’s assurances that the restructuring and reconstitution of these commissions and institutions would be completed quickly, there has been a significant delay in the reconstitution of the various commissions and institutions. Among provision pending is Chapter 5 of the Revitalized Agreement, that calls for the establishment of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, and Healing (CTRH), a Hybrid Court for South Sudan (HCSS), and a Compensation and Reparation Authority (CRA).