JUBA, June 11 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's ceasefire monitors said Tuesday said there has been remarkable progress towards formation of a unified force of 83,000 personnel to support implementation of the six months pre-transitional period extension.
Desta Abiche Ageno, chairperson of Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring, Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), said that parties have achieved progress on implementation of security mechanisms as stipulated in the September peace deal.
"Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring, Verification Mechanism appreciate the commitment made so far by the parties to form the necessary unified forces at a force size of 83,000 personnel," Ageno told a stakeholders' meeting in Juba.
He said that the verification of cantonment is a priority of CTSAMVM during the extended pre-transitional period with the Joint Defense Board (JDB) having identified 35 cantonment areas, where the body has assessed 20.
"CTSAMVM found that 17 of the 20 assessed sites are suitable for cantonment with one not suitable and two were disputed. We urge the joint defense board to quickly resolve the disputed cantonment sites," said Ageno.
"Cantonment, as you know, provides the very basis for the implementation of the Security Arrangements, without which the Peace Agreement cannot be implemented. When troops are cantoned they will be separated, thus keeping the risk of any sort of military engagement to a minimum," he added.
He reiterated that cantonment will allow the other activities of the security arrangements such as registration, screening for eligibility for future service, Disarmament, demobilization and Rehabilitation (DDR) to start.
The warring parties agreed on May 3 to extend the pre-transitional period for another six months to address outstanding issues like security arrangements, which include assembling and screening of forces, determining the number of states and demarcation of boundaries.
South Sudan's conflict, which has now entered its fifth year, erupted in 2013 after forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar engaged in combat.
In September 2018, Kiir, Machar and several opposition groups signed a new power-sharing deal in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
The UN estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally.
