By Yiep Joseph
Civil society organizations have proposed strategies for the Transitional Government to end the pattern of perpetual extensions of its mandate.
This follows the recent decision by the Transitional Government of National Unity to extend its term in power for another two years, now set to last until 2026.
In a statement, Ter Manyang, Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), attributed the endless extensions to lack of trust and double standards among the leaders and peace parties involved.
Manyang stated that for the parties to fully implement the remaining tasks, it was important to building trust and ensure transparency in the next two years.
He added that citizens are tired of extension and do not want another extension, citing that the two years are enough for the leaders to implement the agreement and ensure that the country is put on the right path.
The activist appealed to leaders of parties to the peace agreement to ensure that both visible and invisible forces contributing to extensions be handled with care for history never to repeat itself.
With the current economic meltdown, Ter called on the leadership to concentrate on improving the economy in order to rescue the citizens from suffering.
Priorities in the two years
Manyang said that the government should focus on security arrangements as a first priority to stabilize the security.
“The first priority should be the unification of necessary unified forces (security arrangements), which can be achieved in three months,” he said.
“The second priority is the creation of a permanent constitution, expected to take 8 months,” he added.
Manyang stated conducting a national population census has become another vital task, adding that such a process will take only three months.
“The fourth priority is the repatriation of South Sudanese refugees from neighbouring countries, estimated to take two months,” he said.
He added that upholding human rights and reinforcing the rule of law could be essential for the international community to help restore trust, calling on the government to improve.
In a separate statement, the Executive Director for Community Empower for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, called on the Ministry of Finance and Planning to release necessary funds to the mechanisms for them to do their work.
He proposed the need to restructure the strategy for financing the peace agreement.
“I hope the financing this time will be the Ministry of Finance directly dealing with the leaders of the mechanism entrusted to deliver the pending task in the R-ARCISS because in the past we released financing, which was one of the challenges for genuine and timely implementation,” he said.
He appealed to leaders to take into consideration the report from the monitors.
Yakani urged the leaders to focus on the unification of forces and the constitution-making process, among other vital pending tasks.
Last week, the Presidency of South Sudan, led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit, announced another two-year extension to the country’s transitional period.
The national elections, which were originally scheduled for December 2024, have now been postponed to December 22, 2026.