Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Signatory parties to South Sudan’s 2018 peace agreement are now aligned on urgent priorities for the country’s transition, according to a statement on Vice President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel’s Facebook page following his Tuesday meeting with the Chair of the National Transitional Committee.
Briefing Vice President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel in Juba on Tuesday, Kuol said that the committee is stepping up coordination efforts to accelerate the full implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement.
He cited strengthened engagement with the new political leadership following recent transitions in several signatory groups.
According to the NTC chair, key priorities now include institutional reforms, inclusive governance, and the unification of armed forces under one Commander-In-Chief, President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
The Vice President welcomed the progress but urged for faster action, saying peace is key to development.
Dr. Bol Mel praised the work of the NTC but stressed that the people of South Sudan have waited long enough, adding that peace must be delivered now, not tomorrow.
“Without peace, there can be no development. Without peace, there can be no future. And without peace, there is no country to call our own.”
The 2018 peace process has been stalled after the house arrest of key opposition leader, First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, and the detention of his senior party members.
Following the split of the SPLM-IO party, the government proposed a six-point peace plan and later recognized one faction led by Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol as its legitimate partner to implement the peace agreement.
In June, the regional body, IGAD Council of Ministers, described house arrest of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and the dismissals and detention of other SPLM-IO officials from the Reconstituted Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) as blatant violations of the R-ARCSS.
It then called for the “immediate and unconditional release and reinstatement” of other detained SPLM-IO officials to “de-escalate the prevailing political tension and to prevent the total collapse of the R-ARCSS.”
The PSC also demanded an independent investigation into all violations of the peace agreement.
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