STATEMENT BY H.E. MAJ. GEN. CHARLES TAI GITUAI (RTD) INTERIM CHAIRPERSON, RJMEC ON THE STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REVITALISED AGREEMENT ON THE RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
March 08,2022

STATEMENT BY H.E. MAJ. GEN. CHARLES TAI GITUAI (RTD) INTERIM CHAIRPERSON, RJMEC ON THE STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REVITALISED AGREEMENT ON THE RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL, 7 MARCH, 2022, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

 

-       President of the UN Security Council,

-       Distinguished Members of the Council,

-       Excellencies,

-       Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mr. President

1.   I thank you for the opportunity to brief the Security Council of the United Nations for my first time as Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC). I would like to offer my congratulations to the United Arab Emirates for assuming the Presidency of the UN Security Council this month, March 2022, and I thank them for inviting RJMEC to brief the Council this morning. We wish them the best in their Presidency. 

2.   RJMEC is the official oversight body mandated to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), which was mediated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). RJMEC oversees the mandate and tasks of the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU), including the adherence by the Parties to the agreed timelines and implementation schedule.

3.   RJMEC is obligated under Article 7.9 of the R-ARCSS to submit quarterly status reports, followed by detailed briefings to this Council, and the following:

-       the Revitalised Unity Government Council of Ministers;

-       the Transitional National Legislative Assembly; 

-       the Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government; 

-       the Chairperson of the IGAD Council of Ministers; 

-       the Chairperson of the African Union Commission; 

-       the Peace and Security Council of the African Union; and 

-       the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Since the Revitalised Peace Agreement was signed in September 2018, RJMEC has submitted 13 status of implementation reports. 

4.   Mr. President, although there has been some progress in the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement, the end of the Transitional Period in February 2023 is fast approaching, and yet several critical tasks of the Agreement remain unimplemented.

5.   Therefore, my briefing to this august Council will focus on the key milestones achieved in the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement to date, critical pending tasks, and requirements for the conduct of elections at the end of the Transitional Period as per the Agreement. I will also highlight recurring challenges and conclude with recommendations. 

Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

6.   As you may recall, in July 2016 armed conflict broke out in South Sudan within one year of signing of the 2015 Peace Agreement, and barely two months after the first coalition government was formed. By contrast, the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement has entered its fourth year and the Revitalised Unity Government marked its second anniversary last month, February 2022, an indication of comparative success. 

7.   Since its signing, the Revitalised Peace Agreement has contributed significantly to the following:

a)            cessation of violence across the country amongst the signatories to the Agreement and continued holding of the permanent ceasefire;

b)            the establishment and reconstitution of all Pre-Transitional institutions and implementation mechanisms of the Agreement;

c)             establishment of the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity and state level government;

d)            reconstitution of the Transitional National Legislature and the state assemblies;

e)            incorporation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement into the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan (TCRSS, 2011), as amended;

f)              the review and amendments of all security related laws by the National Constitutional Amendment Committee (NCAC), which have been submitted to the Revitalised Unity Government, awaiting enactment;

g)            cantonment and screening, selection and training of Phase 1 of the Necessary Unified Forces, with approximately 50,000 trainees awaiting graduation and redeployment;

h)            opening of humanitarian corridors which has facilitated gradual voluntary return of some refugees and IDPs;

i)              stabilisation of the exchange rate and progress in implementing some economic reforms by the Revitalised Unity Government; and

j)              development of a roadmap for implementing the requirements of Transitional Justice and the making of the Permanent Constitution.

8.   The above progress notwithstanding, some critical tasks of the Agreement remain pending. Most notably, they include the following:  

a.     establishment of the ad hoc Judicial Reform Committee mandated to study and recommend appropriate judicial reforms to the Revitalised Unity Government; 

b.     ratification of eight bills by the Transitional National Legislature (TNL), namely six security bills, the Constitution Making Bill, and the Political Parties Bill;

c.      reconstitution of the Political Parties Council, and amendment of the National Elections Act, 2012, and reconstitution of a competent and impartial National Elections Commission (NEC);

d.     the unification of forces and their redeployment; 

e.      implementing Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration programmes;

f.       addressing the challenges of reconstruction, repatriation, resettlement, rehabilitation and reintegration of IDPs and returnees;

g.     establishment of the Special Reconstruction Fund (SRF) and Board and the convening of a South Sudan Pledging Conference to support its humanitarian and reconstruction efforts;

h.     reforming the Public Financial Management institutions, especially the National Audit Chamber and the Anti-Corruption Commission to enhance transparency and accountability;

i.       establishment of the three Transitional Justice mechanisms, namely the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing, the Hybrid Court for South Sudan, and the Compensation and Reparation Authority; and

j.       Completion of the permanent constitution making process to guide the conduct of elections.

9.   In RJMEC’s assessment, the tasks most critical for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections under the Revitalised Peace Agreement are the unification of forces and their redeployment, enactment of the permanent constitution, review of political parties and electoral related laws, and reconstitution of the Political Parties Council and the National Elections Commission. 

10.         I wish to underscore the importance of a people-led and people-owned Permanent Constitution, which will be the cornerstone of the state of South Sudan, preparing the way for a democratic transition through free, fair and credible elections. 

Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

11.  Overall, progress in implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement has generally been very slow from the beginning, and there are several recurring challenges facing it. The challenges include lack of sufficient resources (both financial and material) needed for the implementation of the Agreement; insufficient political will and commitment of some actors; trust deficit amongst the Parties; capacity gaps; subnational violence and activities of the holdout groups; military defections from one signatory party to another; flooding; and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

12.  Given the challenges facing implementation, the critical tasks pending, and the Agreement timeline nearing expiry, RJMEC has tasked the Revitalised Unity Government to review the status of the implementation of the Agreement and develop a clear roadmap and strategy within the framework of the Revitalised Peace Agreement on how to implement the outstanding critical tasks as the end of the Transitional Period approaches. The roadmap should be consensus-based, with verifiable benchmarks and timelines.

Mr President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

13.  I therefore conclude with the following recommendations to this Council: 

a)   actively engage the Revitalised Unity Government to ensure implementation of the critical outstanding tasks, especially the unification of forces and the permanent constitution making process, both tasks fundamental to the holding of free, fair and credible elections;

b)   encourage the Revitalised Unity Government to reconcile their inter-party differences and to work collegially in the best interests of South Sudan and its people;

c)    assist the Revitalised Unity Government’s efforts in mobilising resources from the international community to enhance implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement;

d)   support the Revitalised Unity Government to establish the Special Reconstruction Fund, and convene a South Sudan Pledging Conference to provide support to conflict-affected states and communities, as provided for in the Agreement; and

e)   continue supporting the full implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement and the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.

14.  Finally, Mr President, I would like to appeal to the Council to remain seized of the peace process in South Sudan, to encourage you to consider visiting the country again, and to continue supporting RJMEC in its mandate, including providing regular briefings to the Council on the status of the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. 

 

I Thank You.

 

 

STATEMENT BY H.E. FESTUS G. MOGAE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT MONITORING & EVALUATION COMMISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL, 24th JANUARY 2018 JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN (via video tele-conference)
January 25,2018

Good afternoon to you all, and good evening from Juba. May I first thank the President of the United Nations Security Council, H.E. Kairat Umarov, for your kind invitation to brief the Security Council today.

Mr President,

Members of the Council,

Just before Christmas, six months of hard work came to fruition with the successful convening of the IGAD High Level Revitalisation Forum in Addis Ababa, where fourteen South Sudanese parties and other key stakeholders came together to confront the challenges that face South Sudan after eighteen months of devastating chaos.

The first phase of the Forum dealt with the cessation of hostilities, and like you all, I am pleased that a comprehensive Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access was signed by all parties on 21st December 2017.

According to the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) this new cessation of hostilities has had a generally positive effect on reducing the overall level of violence in the country. However, I am disappointed to note that, within the few weeks since its signing, this agreement has been violated by no less than three of the signatory parties.

Since the 24th of December 2017, when the agreement came into effect, fighting and troop movements have been reported in Unity, Jonglei, Upper Nile States and Central Equatoria, causing further displacement and disturbance of civilians. CTSAMM have quickly published reports on two outbreaks of violence, in Koch and Mundri, apportioning blame to SPLA-IO (Machar) and SPLA-IG respectively. The Chairman of CTSAMM has advised me that a number of other incidents and alleged violations are currently under investigation and I hope to receive further reports very soon.

I condemn these acts of violence and call upon all signatories to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement to disseminate the terms of the agreement to their subordinate commanders and ensure immediate and consistent compliance

Mr President,

Within the past week, I have had cause to publicly demand full support for CTSAMM. Statements have been made in the media by the Transitional Government of National Unity which has the potential to undermine public confidence in regional and international peacekeeping efforts.

CTSAMM’s teams are the direct representatives of IGAD and the wider international community for the purpose of verification of ceasefire compliance in South Sudan and as such they deserve full respect and total cooperation. Such denigration of international peacekeeping missions, including the UN regional protection force, are unacceptable and I call upon the Security Council to reiterate its support for CTSAMM.

As I speak to you now, CTSAMM are leading a workshop in Addis Ababa with all the signatories which seeks to put in place the practical mechanisms and cooperation required to deliver and enforce this cessation of hostilities agreement.

I commend CTSAMM for taking the lead on this and all the signatories for their participation. I further urge the parties to cooperate fully under the terms of the Agreement so as to ensure unhindered access to the monitoring and verification teams in the field.

Mr President,

As we begin a new year, it remains my belief that the IGAD-led revitalisation process provides us all with the most effective platform upon which to confront and resolve the severe security, governance, economic and humanitarian crises that continue to overwhelm South Sudan. I wish to commend the IGAD Special Envoy, Ambassador Dr. Ismail Wais, for his tenacity in leading this process.

The Forum will convene again in two week’s time and continue its systematic review and invigoration of the Peace Agreement. It is beholden upon us all to keep our faith in this process and support it with all the resources at our disposal.

The single most powerful contribution that can be made by the regional and international community is to speak with ONE VOICE. Only if we stand together, unified in our approach, will we help the South Sudanese leaders find and sustain the spirit of compromise and engagement that will deliver peace and stability.

In four days time, in Addis Ababa, H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Chairman of IGAD, will host another consultative meeting between the United Nations, the African Union and the Heads of State and Government of IGAD. The resolute unity and determination of these three institutions will be necessary to bring about positive and sustainable change in South Sudan.

Mr President,

The speed and alacrity with which some parties and individuals violated the cessation of hostilities, leads me to raise, once again, the key issue of enforcement.

For the revitalisation process to be successful and for it to have the value and meaning that we would all wish it to have, there must be a clear understanding among all South Sudanese leaders of the consequences of non-compliance and the determination of the world to ensure that the Agreements they sign are complied with.

We cannot stand by as South Sudanese leaders sign an agreement one day and authorise or allow its violation with impunity the next.

We must address, with one voice, the issue of non-compliance and make clear the consequences to be faced by those who wilfully violate, spoil or derail the Peace Agreement in South Sudan.

Articles 14.2 and 14.3 of the current cessation of hostilities agreement provide that the Chairperson of JMEC shall report any serious breaches to the TGoNU, IGAD, AU Peace and Security Council and UN Security Council for their action. The actions refered to may include the measures decided by the 28th Extraordinary Summit of the IGAD Heads of State and Government, issued on 7th November 2014, namely:

 The enactment of asset freezes

The enactment of regional travel bans, and

The denial of the supply of arms and ammunition, and any other material that could be used in war.

It is now time to revisit the range of practical measures that can be applied in earnest to those who refuse to take this process seriously and make clear to all concerned that the world will not tolerate any further disruption to our efforts to deliver peace.

Mr President,

Over the coming weeks IGAD will continue along its path to revitalise the Peace Agreement, and along with you all, I wish to take this opportunity to reaffirm my total commitment to this process.

Together, with one voice, we can challenge those who peddle violence and self-interest and we urge the TGoNU and all parties to continue to engage in this inclusive, political process.

As I said earlier, the IGAD Revitalisation Forum is the best opportunity to restore peace and rebuild governance in South Sudan and the process must not be derailed.

Thank you, Mr President, and Happy New Year to you all.

STATEMENT BY H.E. FESTUS G. MOGAE, CHAIRMAN OF JMEC, TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL 26th SEPTEMBER 2017 JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN (via video tele-conference)
September 26,2017

Mr President,

Members of the Council,

  1. I would like to thank the President of the Security Council, H.E. Dr. Tekeda Alemu, for his kind invitation to brief the Security Council today.
  2. My briefing will build on the previous update that I provided to the Security Council last month on the implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. I will therefore focus on a quick situation update, the forthcoming JMEC evaluation report and the IGAD Revitalisation Forum.

Mr President,

3. Last month, I reported incidents of heavy fighting between SPLA-IO and SPLA-IG in some areas of the country. The scale of the fighting has changed this month with reports from CTSAMM indicating that there have been relatively fewer fighting incidents between SPLA-IG and SPLA-IO (Machar).

  1. However, fighting was reported between SPLA-IO (Taban) and SPLA-IO (Machar) forces in Unity and Upper Nile States causing further displacement of civilians. SPLA-IO have denied access to a joint UNMISS and CTSAMM patrol along the Nile, so we are unable to provide a full picture at this time.
  2. The situation concerning control of Pagak in Upper Nile State remains tense as SPLA-IG and SPLA-IO (Machar) make claims and counter claims. CTSAMM has reported the displacement of 3,000 civilians into Ethiopia.
  3. CTSAMM also reports fighting in the Equatorias and armed robberies in some parts of Eastern Equatoria.
  1. Inter-communal tensions are reported in some areas of Greater Bhar El Ghazal and in the Maban area, where Vice President, Mr James Wani Igga, has been mediating between IDP communities.
  2. We in JMEC are acutely aware that, due mainly to the conflict, the humanitarian crisis persists, with six million people reported severely food insecure and continued inconsistent humanitarian access.

Mr President,

9. JMEC remains fully focused on its mandate to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Peace Agreement and committed to supporting IGAD in its aim to convene a High Level Revitalisation Forum.

  1. To that end, yesterday, JMEC held an evaluation workshop to review a comprehensive report on the status of implementation of the Peace Agreement. Once complete, this report will be presented to IGAD as part of our contribution to ensuring a successful revitalisation forum. Allow me to elaborate.
  2. In March of this year we took the deliberate step of enhancing our oversight role with the formation of six JMEC Working Committees in line with the six substantive Chapters of the Agreement. Their tasks are to continuously review and evaluate progress towards the implementation of the Peace Agreement and to support and recommend remedial actions to be undertaken.
  3. The Working Committees have held a combined total of 38 meetings to date, engaged bi-laterally with the TGoNU and other stakeholders, and invited briefings from key Agreement institutions and implementation mechanisms.
  1. In line with the terms of reference for the Revitalisation Forum, agreed by the IGAD Council of Ministers on 2nd July 2017, the JMEC Working Committees have conducted a full evaluation of the status of implementation of the Peace Agreement and prepared a report, which is under consideration. I expect the final report to be published by the end of next week.
  2. As I have said, once the report is finalised and adopted by JMEC, it will be presented to IGAD and is intended to form the starting point for discussion in the revitalisation process.

Mr President,

15. I shall not pre-empt the final report, but overall, JMEC maintains the view that despite initial reasonable progress in the formation of the various institutions and bodies, implementation of the Peace Agreement was disrupted in July 2016 and as we stand today little substantial progress has been made in the delivery or implementation of the key provisions.

  1. I have previously described implementation as being “modest, at best” and from the evaluation reports presented yesterday I have heard nothing to change my view.
  2. 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.
  3. Of fundamental importance is the fracturing of the SPLA-IO into two factions, one under the First Vice President, General Taban Deng Gai, and the other under the former First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, who is now in exile in South Africa.
  1. The expansion of the number of states, from 10 to 32, and in contravention of the Peace Agreement, has also fundamentally adversely affected the intended power sharing formula.
  2. Whilst some progress has been made, it is greatly disappointing that after two years, there are several transitional institutions and mechanisms which have not been established, including the Special Reconstruction Fund, the Economic and Financial Management Authority, the Compensation and Reparations Authority, and key transitional justice institutions.
  3. Most importantly, there has been no progress whatsoever in the Permanent Constitution-making process.

Mr President,
22. JMEC’s recommendations are:

  1. There must be an immediate ceasefire and an end to all forms of violence.
  2. There is a fundamental need for a demonstration of political will by the Parties to undertake their responsibility to implement the provisions of the Peace Agreement.
  3. All forms of obstruction to the delivery of humanitarian aid must be removed.
  4. The TGoNU must expedite and conclude the constitutional and legislative amendments and initiate without further delay the Permanent Constitution-making process.
  5. In preparation for the return of the displaced persons, a joint framework should be developed by the TGoNU in collaboration with humanitarian partners.
  6. The Security Council, in collaboration with IGAD, the African Union and international partners, should put in place mechanisms to enforce compliance.

Mr President,

  1. In the coming weeks IGAD will convene a High Level Revitalisation Forum and I wish to take this opportunity to reaffirm our complete commitment to this process.
  2. Together, with one voice, we can challenge those who believe in a military solution to the conflict. We urge the Government and all Parties to engage in this inclusive political process.
  3. The IGAD Revitalisation Forum is the best opportunity to restore peace and rebuild governance in South Sudan.
  1. The National Dialogue can play a complimentary role in delivering longer term reconciliation if implemented credibly and inclusively.
  2. Given conditions around the country, mass displacement, severe food insecurity and the total lack of institutional and constitutional infrastructure, it is clear that credible elections will not be feasible at the end of the current transitional period. The High Level Revitalisation Forum is, therefore, the best hope for re-igniting the political process.

Mr President,

28. We hope that the JMEC evaluation will enable the Parties, the region and all South Sudanese stakeholders to pursue the revitalisation process from an informed point of view, and encourage them to take concrete steps to revitalise the implementation of the Peace Agreement without further delay.

Thank you, Mr President.

Statement by H.E. Festus G. Mogae, Chairman of JMEC, to the United Nations Security Council on 24th August 2017
August 24,2017

Mr President,

Members of the Council,

  1. I would like to thank the President of the Security Council, H.E. Abdellatif Aboulatta, for his kind invitation to me to brief the Security Council today.
  2. Today here in Juba I chaired the monthly JMEC Plenary, so I come to you via video-link from the UNMISS base. On a matter of housekeeping before I begin, I would like to note that I shall issue the pending JMEC quarterly report by the end of this month, as mandated under Chapter Seven of the Peace Agreement. I trust it will reach you all in good time.

Mr President,

  1. You will recall that in my briefing to you last month, I described the “one voice” initiative and the process by which IGAD mandated the convening of a High Level Revitalisation Forum for the Peace Agreement in South Sudan.
  2. I was very grateful for the unanimous support of the members of the Security Council for this IGAD initiative. Your support and endorsement delivers a strong message to all South Sudanese leaders that the world is watching and has high expectations of a rapid and sustained improvement in the overall situation in South Sudan.

Mr President,

  1. Last week the second anniversary of the signing of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan passed relatively unnoticed.
  2. Our perception at the time of the signing of the Peace Agreement in August 2015 was that it had ended a tragic internal conflict that had threatened to tear Africa’s youngest nation apart and it was hoped that disagreements amongst the Parties over substantive issues had been resolved.
  3. The Peace Agreement brought JMEC into being and we believed that our task would be simply to oversee and guide its implementation by the TGoNU.
  4. By now the Peace Agreement should have achieved considerable progress towards improved security and governance in this country. From day one, however, we have had to persuade the Parties to implement each and every task.
  5. Disagreements between the key principals and the lack of any appetite for compromise, slowed progress to a standstill and led to a growing tension in Juba that ultimately resulted in the violence of July 2016 and its continuing repercussions. Two years on since the signing of the Peace Agreement there has been little meaningful progress in its implementation.

10. Since July 2016, we, as JMEC, have remained profoundly shocked by the rampant hostilities across the country and the rapid deterioration of the political, security, humanitarian and economic situation in South Sudan. As a result, we are now rightly absorbed in a process to restore and revitalise the prominence of the Peace Agreement.

Mr President,

  1. In the past month, the security situation in the former Upper Nile State has worsened due to the recent offensive operations by forces of the SPLA-IG against the SPLA-IO (Machar faction) in Matthiang and Pagak.
  2. In today’s Plenary, I condemned all the violence that has occurred in and around Pagak over the past month and urged that military operations cease immediately. I also urged all Parties involved to facilitate CTSAMM’s access to investigate and report on the situation in Pagak.
  3. In this month that we have marked World Humanitarian Day, tens of thousands of people in Upper Nile have been forced to flee their homes, and humanitarian aid workers had no choice but to relocate from the area and suspend delivery of support to those in need.
  4. This cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation of humanitarian support has been repeated around the country over the past year and has led to untold misery among those who seek only to live peacefully and provide for their families.

Mr President,

  1. Over the past week, there has been some unfortunate confusion and dispute over the deployment of advance elements of the Regional Protection Force. One impact of this dispute was the temporary grounding of all UN flights which had a direct impact on the operations of CTSAMM. This is deeply regretable and I urge TGoNU to resolve issues with UNMISS swiftly and facilitate the deployment of this force without further hindrance, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2304 (2016).
  2. To that end, I have further urged IGAD to convene the meeting between the TGoNU, UNMISS and the Chiefs of Defence Forces of the Troop Contributing Countries, as specified in the IGAD Communique of 12th June 2017. This meeting has not yet taken place and as a result, key issues affecting the practical deployment of this Force have not been addressed and serious challenges are arising.

Mr President,

17. The IGAD Council of Ministers met on 24th July 2017, for the first time in Juba. In their Communique that day, the Council of Ministers empowered the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan to coordinate the revitalization process, including all stakeholders and institutions charged with responsibility for the implementation of the Peace Agreement. The Council also urged all South Sudanese stakeholders to embrace the objectives of the High Level Revitalisation Forum and collaborate with the IGAD Special Envoy to achieve a positive outcome.

18. It is essential to stress a number of issues regarding this Revitalisation Forum in order to ensure full understanding:

i. The Revitalisation Forum is an IGAD initiative mandated by the Summit of Heads of State and Government and executed by the Council of Ministers through the office of the new IGAD Special Envoy. Our role, as JMEC, is to support IGAD in its efforts to convene this Forum.

  1. Whilst the Forum sets out with three objectives – 1) to reinstate the Permanent Ceasefire; 2) to reinstate full and inclusive implementation of the Peace Agreement; and 3) to develop revised and realistic timelines for implementation towards elections at the end of the transition period – the outcomes of the Forum are not pre-determined.
  2. It will be for the Parties and estranged groups to determine and commit to the outcomes of this Forum. After all, in the end, the responsibility for the implementation of the Peace Agreement lies squarely with these same Parties.
  3. This is a Forum through which to explore options that can restore the prominence of the peace process taking account of current realities. It is our hope that this revitalisation process will be pursued in the spirit of peace, inclusivity and compromise.
  1. In JMEC’s perspective, for the Revitalisation process to succeed, there is need for demonstrable political will by the Parties and estranged groups to be inclusive and to accommodate one another politically, rather than defeat each other militarily.
  2. We must all speak with “one voice” to the leaders of South Sudan and align our actions. There should be clear consequences for intransigent groups, spoilers and violations.
  3. The Parties must commit to adhere to any revised timelines and implementation schedules and there is need to determine and secure adequate funding for implementation of the revitalised Peace Agreement.

I thank you, Mr President.

Statement by H.E. Festus G. Mogae, Chairman of JMEC, to the United Nations Security Council on 20th July 2017
July 20,2017

Mr President,

Members of the Council,

  1. I would like to thank the President of the Security Council, H.E. Liu Jieyi, for his kind invitation to me to brief the Security Council today.
  2. You will recall that in my last briefing to you in March, we were confronted by unprecedented hostilities targeting civilians, resulting in gross human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, a dramatic increase of refugees and internally displaced persons and an appalling humanitarian crisis in the country.
  3. In that context, I posed the following questions – How do we stop the fighting? How do we stop people dying of starvation? And how do we ensure inclusivity of all parties, communities and stakeholders in the peace process? Peace, relief and inclusivity.
  4. Immediately after that briefing, my team devised and drafted the One Voice initiative – a twelve point message from us ALL to the South Sudanese leadership demanding the cessation of hostilities and the restoration of the permanent ceasefire. It remains as pertinent and relevant today as it was when it was written.
  5. With the blessing of the IGAD Chairperson, H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, I engaged in a comprehensive and constant round of consultations with all the critical stakeholders, specifically in line with our One Voice initiative and in the pursuit of peace.
  6. I have maintained regular and forthright dialogue with the President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, and the First Vice President, General Taban Deng Gai, constantly reiterating our message of peace, humanitarian relief and political inclusivity.
  7. I have met and briefed the IGAD Heads of State and Government, the IGAD Council of Ministers, the AU Commission Chairperson, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, and the AU Peace and Security Council.
  8. I met with H.E. Omar al-Bashir, President of Sudan, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Uganda, and H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya, with the purpose of identifing a way out of the escalating violence and humanitarian crisis.
  9. I appealed to IGAD, the AU, the UN and our international partners to adopt “one voice” in our engagement with the leaders of South Sudan, and the need for the regional leaders to align their messages and actions to prevent the situation in South Sudan from further deterioration.
  10. The regional leaders expressed their grave concern with the recent escalation of violence, the ongoing violation of the permanent ceasefire and the worsening humanitarian situation in the country. They emphasised that the conflict in this country requires a political, and not a military solution and they demanded wider inclusivity of and dialogue amongst the belligerents.

Mr President,

  1. In South Africa I met with the Vice President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as South Africa’s Special Envoy to South Sudan, and then with Dr. Riek Machar, the former First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan.
  2. The message I conveyed to Dr. Riek Machar was to renounce violence, declare a unilateral ceasefire and participate in the National Dialogue. He declined to do so. However, he demanded a new political process by the region outside South Sudan.
  3. I have also taken the time to meet with some of the key South Sudanese stakeholders in opposition and currently out of the country. I met with Madam Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, former detainees Pagan Amum, Kosti Manibe, Dr. Majak and Dr. Cirino Hiteng, and also with Dr. Lam Akol, Thomas Cirillo, James Oryema and others in order to listen to their grievances.
  4. My message to all of them was that those who are still fighting should stop immediately for the sake of their country that they say they love so much, and that all serious parties should pursue a political path to return to the Peace Process.
  5. In principle most welcomed my message. Like Dr Riek Machar, they demanded a negotiated ceasefire and expressed their willingness to participate in a credible political process outside South Sudan that might lead to their return to the implementation of the Peace Agreement. In this regard they underlined the importance of the deployment of the Regional Protection Force.
  6. I hoped that by engaging so determinedly in this way, we would drive a peaceful, open and transparent dialogue that is imperative if we are to achieve an inclusive political process and silence the guns.

Mr President,

  1. Accordingly, IGAD held an Extra-Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa on 12th June 2017 and, following my recommendation, they decided to convene a High-Level Revitalization Forum of the parties, including estranged groups, to discuss concrete measures to:
  2. restore the permanent ceasefire,
  3. return to full implementation of the Peace Agreement and
  • develop a revised and realistic timeline and implementation schedule towards democratic elections at the end of the transition period;

Mr President,

  1. We should all welcome this timely decision of the IGAD leadership and seize the opportunity to end the senseless fighting, revitalise the implementation of the Peace Agreement and restore hope and aspiration for the people of South Sudan.
  2. The revitalisation of the implementation of the Peace Agreement is NOT a renegotiation. The Forum will explore options that can restore activity and prominence of the peace process. It is our hope that this revitalisation process will be pursued in the spirit of peace, inclusivity and compromise.
  3. I hope that all reasonable and positive proposals to restore and reinforce effective implementation of the Peace Agreement will be put forward, discussed and considered at the Forum. I encourage all Parties and estranged groups to seize this opportunity to put the country first, make compromises and accommodate one another for the sake of peace.
  4. Pursuant to this mandate, the IGAD Council of Ministers met on 02nd July 2017 and adopted guidelines and an indicative matrix for the convening of this High Level Revitalisation Forum within three months.
  5. This revitalization process is intended to ensure the broadest possible consultation with stakeholders, and to generate proposals that could make the Peace Agreement implementation more accommodative, viable and sustainable.
  6. Ultimately, the success of this process will require a willingness on the part of the Parties to the Peace Agreement and estranged groups to compromise and accommodate one another politically.
  7. A window of opportunity has arisen and we must all seize it. I believe that with a resolute and unified approach by IGAD, the African Union, the UN and the International Community, and with cooperation from the South Sudanese leaders, we can recover lost ground and restore hope to the people of South Sudan.

Thank you, Mr President.

Statement by H.E. Festus G. Mogae, Chairman of JMEC, to the United Nations Security Council on 23rd March 2017
March 23,2017

President of the Security Council;

Secretary General;

  1. I would like to thank the President of the Security Council, the British Foreign Secretary, Right Honorable Boris Johnson, for his kind invitation to brief you all today. I would also like to thank the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, for his accurate and detailed description of the current situation in South Sudan.
  1. I do not intend to cover the same ground within what little time we have. Suffice to say that, in the eight months since the outbreak of violence last July, the security, economic and humanitarian situation in South Sudan has steadily deteriorated to an unacceptable level.
  1. The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism now report deliberate, planned conflict between the main Parties to the Agreement. The SPLA-IG and the SPLA-IO loyal to Dr. Riek Machar, as well as other emerging armed groups, engage in the destruction of lives and communities in total violation of the ceasefire.
  1. Across the board, there is a heightened sense of alarm over the fact that the situation is slipping out of control. It is time now for the international community to condemn in the strongest terms the violence, the killings, the human rights abuses and the destruction of homes. We must now stand together to do something about it.

Mr President,

  1. Whether by design or default, a war is being waged around South Sudan and I wish to spell out the three defining questions that we all face right now.
  1. How do we stop the fighting? How do we stop innocent people dying of starvation? And how do we ensure that the interests and concerns of all South Sudanese communities are fully represented and considered? Peace, relief and inclusivity.
  1. These three issues are wholly interconnected. The humanitarian crisis, now officially a famine, is the direct result of insecurity and armed violence perpetrated by all Parties to the Agreement.
  1. This insecurity and armed violence is a direct result of the perception and reality of political exclusion from the peace process.
  1. And therefore, only when all the people and communities of South Sudan see that their interests and concerns are being addressed, can peace return to this country, and the people return to normal life.
  1. There can never be a military solution in South Sudan; nor can a military or political regime be imposed upon any one side by any other. To find a genuine and durable political solution, the South Sudanese leadership must be willing to listen, accommodate and compromise.
  1. In the interim, we must urgently look again at all possible practical measures that we can take to alleviate the desperate suffering that millions of people are facing every day. Women especially have suffered the greatest injustices and born the greatest burden of conflict, and all Parties to the Agreement are failing in their basic duty to protect the South Sudanese people.

Mr President,

  1. The international community must acknoweldge that since the events of July 2016, a split in the SPLM/IO has resulted in two clear opposition factions: one loyal to Dr. Riek Machar which is still fighting and has been excluded from all Agreement Institutions, and the other loyal to General Taban Deng Gai, who are cooperating with the Government.
  1. I have had important discussions with the President of South Sudan primarily focused on the National Dialogue initiative, and the need for it to be genuinely and sincerely inclusive, not simply a discussion with those who agree with the Government.
  1. I reiterate my view that the National Dialogue must be authentic, autonomous and impartially-led for it to be credible and deliver a reliable representation of all views and concerns. A National Dialogue conducted in this fashion would contribute to the pursuit of the peace process in the spirit of the Agreement.

Mr President,

  1. I remain of the firm conviction that the Peace Agreement remains the only viable framework through which to recover the peace process, drive inclusive engagment and re-establish momentum. However hard it may be, I urge all Parties, Guarantors and Partners to continue to support the Peace Agreement and the implementation of its provisions.
  1. With regard to the implementation of the Agreement, I can report only modest progress:
  1. The National Constitution Amendment Committee started slowly but is now on course to complete the review of the Constitution before the end of this month.
  1. CTSAMM is monitoring and investigating violations of the ceasefire but is regularly denied freedom of movement by all armed groups.
  1. The Joint Military Ceasefire Commission, the Joint Integrated Police and the Strategic Defence and Security Review Board continue to develop their plans very slowly but, as stated earlier, to the exclusion of the SPLM/IO (Machar).
  1. I have called upon the TGoNU to demonstrate commitment to these Agreement Institutions by providing the required resources and facilities and accelerating delivery. I encourage the regional and international partners to support them.
  1. Beyond the establishment of the Technical Committee for the National Consultative Process for the establishment of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing (CTHR), there has been no further progress on establishing Chapter Five mechanisms and institutions. I have yet to hear from the African Union Commission on the establishment of the Hybrid Court for South Sudan.
  1. These are matters of great concern. Given the escalation of the conflict, progress towards Chapter Five mechanisms is needed now more than ever before and I appeal to all Parties to move with haste to enable their swift establishment.

Mr President,

  1. Finally, my recommendation is that we, the international community, must:
  1. demand peace and the total cessation of violence around the country with one voice;
  2. activate the immediate deployment of the Regional Protection Force and support the implementation of Chapter II Transitional Security Arrangements;
  3. demand the full and credible inclusion of all Parties and stakeholders in the peace process;
  4. constantly encourage the TGoNU to conduct a genuinely inclusive and impartial National Dialogue;
  5. endeavour to achieve an immediate improvement of the conditions for the delivery of humanitarian assistance; and
  6. ensure a renewed effort to create the Hybrid Court for South Sudan and thereby establish the mechanism for the prosecution of those who perpetrate atrocities and human rights abuses.
  1. In conclusion, therefore, and in the face of an ever-worsening situation, I believe that only a resolute and unified approach by IGAD, the African Union, United Nations and the international community as a whole can restore hope to the people of South Sudan.
  1. Thank you, Mr President.
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