South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The visiting National Security Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Colin Thomas-Jensen on Friday called on President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his first deputy, Dr. Riek Machar Teny to agree on key election issues to ensure credible, inclusive and violence-free polls.
“To achieve this, we urge the launch of direct dialogue among transitional government leaders, including President Kiir, First Vice President Machar, and all members of the presidency, with the objective of making genuine and peaceful elections possible,” Jensen said in a statement issued on Friday in Juba.
He noted that dialogue among the leaders would send an important signal to the South Sudanese and to donor countries that the government is committed to peace.
The senior U.S official made this call while concluding his four-day visit to South Sudan.
Jensen urged the coalition government to address the lack of political and civic space, politically neutral and unified forces, as well as full funding and operationalization of necessary electoral institutions.
“U.S. engagement in South Sudan began decades ago. Its endurance is based on values including peace, human rights, democracy, and people’s rights to choose leaders who respond to the needs of the South Sudanese people,” he said.
Jensen also asked the government to waive the taxes and charges imposed on the United Nations agencies, the UN Peacekeeping mission and humanitarian organizations.
He added that these charges are causing aid deliveries to be suspended, affecting tens of thousands of people.
“Those who seek to impose taxes, fees, and other inappropriate costs on humanitarian assistance are diverting aid away from South Sudanese people in need,” Jensen said.
