Civil society forum concludes with call for inter-party dialogue over pending tasks

The conference organized by the South Sudan Civil Society Forum (SSCSF) on Thursday concluded with a call to the parties in the transitional unity government to hold constructive dialogue over the pending tasks within the 2018 revitalized peace agreement

By Simon Deng

The conference organized by the South Sudan Civil Society Forum (SSCSF) on Thursday concluded with a call to the parties in the transitional unity government to hold constructive dialogue over the pending tasks within the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

 Jackline Nasiwa, the Representative for South Sudan Civil Society Forum who also doubles as the executive director for Centre for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice called upon the parties to commit to an inclusive inter-party dialogue that brings the peace stakeholders and other political parties on a roundtable.

“We call upon the international community to support the transition towards lasting peace that we all want to see so that credible, free, peaceful and fair elections are held, as architects of this peace agreement we call upon the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to call for an inter-ministerial meeting immediately to discuss the stalemate around the transition processes,” Nasiwa said during the closing of the three-day conference in Juba.

South Sudan is due for elections in December 2024, ahead of the end of the transitional period in February 2025. The elections are crucial to transition the country toward democratic governance.

Some of the pending tasks include funding and operationalization of the elections-related institutions responsible for the preparation and conduct of elections, and the making of the permanent constitution, whose provisions will guide the conduct of elections.

The other key pending tasks include judicial reforms to enhance the capacity and independence of judicial institutions, completion of phase 1 and phase 2 unification of forces, and the expansion of political and civic space to enhance public participation in the constitution and election processes.

Agatha Ndonga, the head of program for International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) said that civil society organizations and media play critical role in bringing peace, stability and democratic governance in South Sudan

Ismail Wais, the Special Envoy for IGAD in South Sudan said that he hopes the 24 months roadmap which h is nearing an end concludes with peaceful elections in December.

“The only way that legitimizes this government of national unity is in fact the peace agreement, and we have to see that we transit this peace agreement in a way South Sudan becomes a peaceful member of the regional organization,” Wais said.

“As IGAD, we are for election because it is the only way to democratic transition of this country, we do not want this country to go back to war again and to violence, we want peaceful, fair, free and credible elections,” he added.

The three- day conference aimed at creating conducive environment for speeding up security sector reforms, constitution –making process and for conducting peaceful elections commenced on March 19 in Juba.

It was attended by over 100 participants including civil society groups, political leaders, faith-based groups, women, youth and internally displaced persons.

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