ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Parties to South Sudan's September 2018 peace deal have been urged to fulfil the critical tasks as six-month deadline for the pre-transitional period approaches.
"It is possible to make credible and substantive progress towards fulfilling the critical Pre-Transitional tasks in the remaining time period," Augostino Njoroge, Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluating Commission (RJMEC) told South Sudanese parties to the September 2018 revitalized peace accord on late Wednesday in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.
The RJMEC, in its progress report presented during the high-level meeting on the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan, also commended the continuing Permanent Ceasefire for creating an overall improvement in South Sudan's general security situation.
It, however, stressed that "there are Pre-Transitional tasks which remain unaccomplished."
Among the pre-transitional tasks that are yet to be achieved include the operationalization of cantonment, reconstitution of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Commission, persuading the non-signatory South Sudanese parties to join the peace deal's implementation, according to Njoroge.
Njoroge also outlined some of the impediments, which have affected the implementation of the pre-transitional tasks, including limited funding, late disbursement of funds, lack of disbursement of budgeted funds, leaders' insufficient commitment and prioritization of tasks and delay in fulfillment of pledges for support.
"If the necessary resources are immediately released for the cantonment, selection, training and redeployment of the Necessary Unified Forces and the Parties take a political decision on the number of states, and their boundaries," Njoroge said.
Ethiopia's Foreign Affairs Minister, Gedu Andargachew, said the holding of the ceasefire agreement has silenced the guns across South Sudan.
Andargachew, who is also the current Chairperson of IGAD's Council of Ministers, stressed that "this is an encouraging achievement which is certainly contributing towards alleviating the lack of trust among the parties and helping them to work together for peace," the chairman added.
Ethiopia's foreign minister, however, stressed that there is lack of progress in implementing the critical issues to meet the deadline.
"The security arrangement plan, which should lead to the establishment of a unified army and other security, is not progressing as fast as it should. Cantonment sites and barracks are not also operational as planned," he said.
Njoroge also urged the international community "to speak with one voice on the South Sudan peace process, and continue to work closely with the region, AU and UN on the same."
"Since the Pre-Transitional Period was extended by six months in May 2019, some progress has been made in the implementation of some provisions of the transitional security arrangements and attempts to resolve the issues of the number and boundaries of States in South Sudan," Njoroge said.
"Despite the Independent Boundaries Commission (IBC)'s concerted efforts, it was unable to conclusively make a determination on the number of states of the Republic of South Sudan, their boundaries, the composition and restructuring of the Council States, as per the Agreement," Njoroge said.
This is now an urgent matter to be concluded by the parties before the formation of the revitalized transitional government of national unity , the Interim Chairperson stressed.
RJMEC's progress report also underscored that "making a determination of the number and boundaries of states of the Republic of South Sudan" as one of the major pre-transitional tasks that remain unaccomplished.
The world's youngest nation descended into civil war in late 2013, the conflict eventually created one of the fastest-growing refugee crises in the world. A peace deal that was signed in August 2015 collapsed after renewed violence in the capital, Juba in July 2016.
In September 2018, South Sudan's conflicting parties signed a peace deal in Ethiopia after negotiations brokered by the Sudanese government and mandated by IGAD.
