By Gladys Fred Kole
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation seeks Japan’s support in lifting the arms embargo imposed on South Sudan.
South Sudan has been grumbling to no heed for a lift of an arms embargo slapped by the United Nations Security Council.
The embargo has since impeded the implementation of Chapter 2 of the peace agreement.
James Pitia Morgan in a meeting with Japanese Ambassador, Tsutsumi Naohiro on Wednesday, discussed how Tokyo could intervene on behalf of South Sudan.
Juba is also seeking technical assistance from Tokyo in the upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Naohiro expressed his commitment to bilateral cooperation that promotes mutual interest at the international level.
He emphasized that Japan is dedicated to supporting South Sudan in its peace and nation-building efforts, as well as in completing the necessary tasks outlined in the roadmap for the country’s transition to a democratic nation in the future.
Ambassador Naohiro further explained that assisting South Sudan aligns with Japan’s foreign policy objectives, including proactive contributions to global peace and the realization of human security.
He stressed the importance of a stable East African region as a gateway to the entire African continent and highlighted the need for close collaboration between Japan and South Sudan in addressing global issues and upholding core values of international safety and stability, such as a rule-based international order.
However, the Japanese Ambassador expressed his enthusiasm for increased bilateral exchanges between the two countries, encompassing business, culture, and grassroots initiatives.
He reiterated the Japanese government’s unwavering commitment to supporting South Sudan’s efforts for peace and development.
Foreign Affairs Minister Morgan extended his gratitude to the Japanese government for their continued implementation of developmental projects in South Sudan through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
He said their projects have played a significant role in the country’s development and progress.
The government is perplexed by how to secure firearms for the deployment of the graduated unified forces, as the first battalion was recently dispatched with sticks.
“We are unable to acquire arms from any source, and as such, we deployed our recent forces with sticks.” Information Minister Michael Makuei told the media
The minister of information told the press after a Cabinet meeting last Friday that the government is grounded with a lack of guns to distribute to the deployed combatants for assignments.
The furious minister said that the same international community and the UN that blocked the country’s access to arms impatiently pushed for the speedy deployment of the graduated forces.
“They have been saying that we cannot deploy the forces without arms, so we deployed them, and we will see when and what they will do with the sticks,” he added.
He said the government had hoped that deployment of the forces would have happened after delisting the country from nations under an arms embargo, but things never worked.
The interim unity government has repeatedly urged the international community and the United Nations Security Council to lift the arms embargo to expedite the deployment of the unified forces.