By William Madouk
Interim chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) views Nairobi peace talks as an antidote to South Sudan’s stability.
Rtd. Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai cited the Nairobi Peace Initiative as a way of achieving inclusivity, justice, and building peace processes.
Mr. Gituai spoke while delivering his keynote opening remarks at the official launch of high-level mediation for South Sudan in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday.
“This bold and decisive step taken towards creating an opportunity for the government, the holdout groups, and the people of the Republic of South Sudan to dialogue and chart the way forward in a peaceful manner for their country and in the IGAD region is commendable,” said Gituai.
He noted that South Sudan has experienced a long period of conflict, and ‘the success of the high-level Nairobi process marks a significant step in laying the foundation towards achieving enduring peace and stability in the country.
“These talks should create momentum for achieving inclusivity, build tolerance, reconciliation, and forgiveness, and recognize that having peace, justice, and strong institutions in a country promotes stability, fairness, and peace,” he stated.
General Gituai added that the peace process is an important step in the development of a better quality of life for citizens.
“Peace in the Republic of South Sudan is paramount not just for the South Sudanese people but also for the shared security and prosperity of our region,” he explained.
The R-JMEC interim chair noted that ‘permanent ceasefire continues to hold between the parties in the revitalized agreement since the signing of the 2018 peace deal, adding that the country has now experienced five and a half years of relative peace.
While acknowledging some skirmishes and communal fighting that continue to occur in several parts of the country, Mr. Gitaui believes Nairobi has the potential to consolidate peace.
“The South Sudan mediation process in Nairobi has the potential to further contribute to the consolidation of this peace in South Sudan,” he underscored.