South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Benjamin Takpiny
The recent extension of the transition period should be the last one, according to the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring Evaluation Commission (RJMEC).
Amb. Charles Tai Gituai, the Chairperson of RJMEC on Friday, said the extension of the transition period which was initially scheduled to end in December 2024 with elections should serve as the final step before the upcoming elections scheduled for December 2026.
Gituai said this during his meeting with the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon. The discussions were centered on key issues pertaining to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
He noted that R-JMEC and the broader international community are seeking for renewed focus, innovative approaches, and tangible progress in implementing the 2018 revitalized peace agreement, according to a statement issued by the office of the First Vice President.
The two leaders deliberated on several critical aspects of the agreement, including security arrangements, the unification and deployment of forces, the constitution-making process, the population census, and the repatriation and resettlement of refugees.
Other topics included the political will necessary for progress, the affirmative action of 35 percent women’s representation, and the current economic and humanitarian conditions in the nation.
For his part, Machar emphasized that the new two-year extension allows the citizens of South Sudan the opportunity to exercise their democratic right to elect their leaders at the end of the transitional period.
He underscored the importance of completing the security arrangements among priorities before any elections can take place.
The First Vice President said that political will is essential and should drive the process of implementing the remaining tasks outlined in the Revitalized Agreement.
Machar expressed optimism that with demonstrated commitment from all parties involved, security arrangements could be finalized swiftly.
On the Tumaini Initiative, Machar reiterated his commitment, along with that of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), to achieving inclusive peace through the revitalized agreement.
He expressed a desire for the participation of all South Sudanese citizens, including Tumaini leaders, to foster lasting and sustainable peace in the country.