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UN PhotoSOUTH SUDAN / RJMEC MEETING
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / RJMEC MEETING
TRT: 04:48
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS:
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 20 FEBRUARY 2025, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Pan left, meeting room
2. Med shot, head table
3. Med shot, Norway and IGAD ambassadors seated
4. Med shot, IGAD and UN name plates on table
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Elia Lomuro, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Government of South Sudan:
“One. That the constitution making process must be completed well in advance to provide the legal framework for elections. Two. That the high-level standing committee has to set up deadlines for the constitution making process to be adopted at least six months before the elections, ensuring adequate time for civic education and election preparations. Five. Schedule engagement with key institutions for timely implementation. The high-level standing committee has scheduled meetings with each of the concerned institutions involved in the implementation process.”
6. Med shot, Kuol Mayang Juuko seated
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Kuol Mayang Juuko, Chairperson, National Transitional Committee:
“The training process is expected to start on the 1st of March to the 30th of November of the year 2025. The working document is the main task before us as the NTC. I am working with NTC board members to bring to the attention of the leadership of this country, the Presidency, that funding of the plan is crucial and urgently needed within the prescribed time frame.”
8. Med shot, OTS, UNMISS SRSG seated reading
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of The Secretary General in South Sudan:
“The lack of urgency demonstrated by the parties since agreeing to extend the transitional period is evident. Critical milestones remain unaddressed. Obviously, I have been unable to address the proposal which has been advanced at this meeting, but if the proposal is as complex and detailed as suggested I think we need to welcome it and encourage every step forward in the building of the unified forces.”
10. Med shot, TROIKA Ambassadors seated talking
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael J. Adler, Ambassador to South Sudan, United States:
“We appeal to all parties to the agreement to take urgent steps now to implement their commitments. There is no more time to waste! The signatories to the peace agreement must end the ongoing clashes before they escalate into broader national conflict. But the clashes are just a symptom of the core problem. The fundamental problem continues to be the willful refusal to meet peace commitments and to use public revenue transparently and for public benefit.”
12. Wide shot, meeting room
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Charles Tai Gitua, Outgoing Interim Chairperson, Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC):
“Provide a strategy with a clear, coherent and overarching action plan, feasible budget and timeline for the implementation of the priority tasks for the implementation of the priority tasks for the ended transitional period; B. Ensure that the workplans of the Agreement Institutions and Mechanisms are aligned and collaborative to ensure effective and efficient implementation; C. Provide the necessary funding in a timely manner to the Agreement Institutions and Mechanisms; D. Expedite completion of the unification of forces, their redeployment and DDR; E. Create a conducive environment for voluntary return, resettlement and reintegration of South Sudanese refugees and IDPS to enable them to participate in the ongoing process; establish, operationalize and fund the CTRH and CRA.”
14. Pan left, meeting room
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of The Secretary General in South Sudan:
“The new extension of the transitional period begins in two days. I urge leadership across the board to act decisively to ensure South Sudan does not find itself in the same position at the end of 2026 as it is today. Critical political decisions must be made without further delay and decision making as you are aware, does not cost money.”
16. Med shot, delegate
Parties to the South Sudan Peace Agreement met in Juba today (20 Feb) for the first Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) plenary session of the year ahead of the start of the new interim period that begins on Sunday.
The meeting, attended by stakeholders and international partners, focused on South Sudan’s preparations to hold its first free and fair elections in December 2026.
This meeting also marked the final session that will be chaired by outgoing interim chairperson Charles Gituai, who will hand over to Ambassador Major General (Rtd) George Aggrey Owinow.
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, who also serves as the Secretary-General of the High-Level Implementation Committee for the Government of South Sudan, stated that the time frame for the initial roadmap set by the Government of South Sudan has been reset and he highlighted key priorities set for implementation during the new interim period.
SOUNDBITE (English) Elia Lomuro, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Government of South Sudan:
“One. That the constitution making process must be completed well in advance to provide the legal framework for elections. Two. That the high-level standing committee has to set up deadlines for the constitution making process to be adopted at least six months before the elections, ensuring adequate time for civic education and election preparations. Five. Schedule engagement with key institutions for timely implementation. The high-level standing committee has scheduled meetings with each of the concerned institutions involved in the implementation process.”
The Chairperson of the National Transitional Committee, Kuol Mayang Juuk, announced that his team has outlined a plan to complete the remaining tasks in the peace agreement, including transitional security arrangements and the beginning of training of the 150,000 unified forces.
SOUNDBITE (English) Kuol Mayang Juuko, Chairperson, National Transitional Committee:
“The training process is expected to start on the 1st of March to the 30th of November of the year 2025. The working document is the main task before us as the NTC. I am working with NTC board members to bring to the attention of the leadership of this country, the Presidency, that funding of the plan is crucial and urgently needed within the prescribed time frame.”
The UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Nicolas Haysom, again called on the government to show the political will necessary in carrying out the mandated tasks to fulfill the Peace Agreement. He welcomed the new proposal presented by the Government to carry this out.
SOUNDBITE (English) Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of The Secretary General in South Sudan:
“The lack of urgency demonstrated by the parties since agreeing to extend the transitional period is evident. Critical milestones remain unaddressed. Obviously, I have been unable to address the proposal which has been advanced at this meeting, but if the proposal is as complex and detailed as suggested I think we need to welcome it and encourage every step forward in the building of the unified forces.”
In recent months, South Sudan has seen sporadic clashes in the Upper Nile Region. Clashes have been taking place between forces of the various signatories to the Peace Agreement. The United States Ambassador to South Sudan, Michael J. Adler called on the signatories to end the ongoing clashes to avoid a broader conflict.
SOUNDBITE (English) Michael J. Adler, Ambassador to South Sudan, United States:
“We appeal to all parties to the agreement to take urgent steps now to implement their commitments. There is no more time to waste! The signatories to the peace agreement must end the ongoing clashes before they escalate into broader national conflict. But the clashes are just a symptom of the core problem. The fundamental problem continues to be the willful refusal to meet peace commitments and to use public revenue transparently and for public benefit.”
The outgoing interim chair of R-JMEC, Ambassador Charles Tai Gitua, in his final words to the body and specifically to the RTGONU, called on them to act with a heightened sense of urgency in completing the critical pending tasks. He also presented key recommendations to the government to ensure progress in the peace process.
SOUNDBITE (English) Charles Tai Gitua, Outgoing Interim Chairperson, Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC):
“Provide a strategy with a clear, coherent and overarching action plan, feasible budget and timeline for the implementation of the priority tasks for the implementation of the priority tasks for the ended transitional period; B. Ensure that the workplans of the Agreement Institutions and Mechanisms are aligned and collaborative to ensure effective and efficient implementation; C. Provide the necessary funding in a timely manner to the Agreement Institutions and Mechanisms; D. Expedite completion of the unification of forces, their redeployment and DDR; E. Create a conducive environment for voluntary return, resettlement and reintegration of South Sudanese refugees and IDPS to enable them to participate in the ongoing process; establish, operationalize and fund the CTRH and CRA.”
In his closing remarks, Haysom reminded the RTOGNU of their ultimate responsibilities.
SOUNDBITE (English) Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of The Secretary General in South Sudan:
“The new extension of the transitional period begins in two days. I urge leadership across the board to act decisively to ensure South Sudan does not find itself in the same position at the end of 2026 as it is today. Critical political decisions must be made without further delay and decision making as you are aware, does not cost money.”
In just two days, the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity will mark five years in power, coinciding with the end of the roadmap extension. This also signals the beginning of a new Roadmap the start of a new transitional period that is set to run until February 2027, with elections scheduled during that time for December 2026.
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