PRESS RELEASE

18 October 2017, Juba, South Sudan

JMEC CHAIRMAN WELCOMES REVITALISATION PROGRESS, SAYS "WORLD IS WATCHING WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS".

At the opening of the October JMEC Plenary in Juba, JMEC Chairman, H.E. Festus Mogae, welcomed the progress made within the IGAD-led revitalisation process and announced the imminent publication of a comprehensive evaluation of the status of implementation of the Peace Agreement.

The Chairman said, “I am delighted to hear from the IGAD Special Envoy, Ambassador Ismail Wais, that positive progress has been made and that all Parties consulted have approached the process in a constructive and peaceful frame of mind. I thank all those who took part.

"After more than a year of unacceptable turmoil and unimaginable distress suffered by millions of South Sudanese, this revitalisation process offers an opportunity for the leaders of all communities to sit together, bring the violence to an end and determine a political path forward.

"The people of South Sudan hope and pray for peace and stability and the world is watching with high expectations.

"I encourage them all Parties to take the necessary steps and compromises to revitalise the implementation of the Peace Agreement without further delay and deliver a lasting solution to the conflict in South Sudan."

Every month the JMEC Chairman presents his report to the Board members, including representatives of the Transitional Government of National Unity, South Sudanese Stakeholders, IGAD member states, the UN, the Troika (US, UK, Norway), China, EU and International Partners Forum and Friends of South Sudan.

Reports are also received from the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), Joint Military Ceasefire Commission (JMCC), Joint Integrated Police (JIP), Strategic Defence and Security Review Board (SDSRB) and the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC).

With regard to the JMEC ARCSS evaluation report, the JMEC Chairman said, “Our evaluation report will be presented to IGAD pursuant to our mandate and will form part of our contribution to ensuring a successful High Level Revitalisation Forum.

"Fundamental to the whole report is the irrefutable fact that the permanent ceasefire has been and continues to be violated by all the Parties with impunity and as such security has deteriorated to a critical level.

"I have previously described implementation of the Peace Agreement as being “modest, at best” and from the evaluation reports presented I have heard nothing to change my view."