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STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY
TRT: 05:20
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 21 SEPTEMBER 2022, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Wide shot, Nyakuron Cultural Center
2. Wide shot, South Sudan’s First Vice President arriving
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thomson Fontaine, Deputy Chief of Staff -RJMEC:
“These past four years have seen both progress and setbacks, and today provides us all an opportunity to take stock to build a South Sudan Whewre all can indeed flourish.”
4. Wide shot, VIP’s seated
5. Close up, VIP
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thomson Fontaine, Deputy Chief of Staff -RJMEC:
“Notwithstanding the progress highlighted. Many challenges remain. In particular, a big challenge to mention today on this International Peace Day is the ongoing conflict in some counties of Unity, Upper Nile and Central Equatoria States”
7. Wide shot, side, guests seated
8. Close up, Guang Cong, UNMISS DSRSG
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thomson Fontaine, Deputy Chief of Staff -RJMEC:
“We cannot truly celebrate peace in all of South Sudan when there is conflict in any part of it.”
10. Wide shot, VIP’s seated
11. Med, South Sudan First Vice President Seated.
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General – UNMISS:
“While there have been challenges to the peace process in South Sudan, the parties have also taken some difficult and positive steps to preserve the peace framework. Notably, on 4 August the signatory parties agreed on a Roadmap for completing the remaining tasks of the country’s transition, through a South Sudan-owned process.”
13. Med shot, South Sudan First Vice President Seated.
14. Med shot, VIP seated
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General – UNMISS:
“I also commend the ongoing graduation of the first batch of the Necessary Unified Forces that started last month. Adequate provision of the budgetary resources necessary for the graduated forces, their integration and deployment remain vital to create a unified army and to consolidate potential gains. The unified force opens the possibility of their deployment to help curtail subnational and inter-communal violence. It will strengthen the capacity of the Transitional Government to protect its own citizens and guarantee national security.”
16. Med shot, VIP’s standing
17. Med shot, VIP’s standing
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Riek Machar, First Vice President – Government of South Sudan:
“We have made a giant step towards implementing the peace agreement when we graduated phase one of the security arrangements of the forces. When we graduated them. It is important why, because with security forces you consolidate peace. You begin to have faith that peace is there.”
19. Med shot, man seated
20. Med shot, man seated
21. SOUNDBITE [ENGLISH] Riek Machar, First Vice President – Government of South Sudan:
“The security arrangements is the backbone of the peace agreement. Once you implement part of it and you continue implementing the rest of it, you will achieve full peace. We need peace in our country because any dreams we have, without peace, we will not achieve them.”
22. Various shots, People seated
23. SOUNDBITE (English) Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General – UNMISS:
“On today’s International Day of Peace, I urge all South Sudanese to silence the guns, stand up against prejudice and hatred, and recognize that in your diversity, lies your greatest strength. I reassure you that UNMISS continues to be your partner for peace. Happy International Day of Peace!”
24. Med shot, Cultural dancers
25. Med, Band performing
The International Day of Peace does provide a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to peace above all differences. This year’s national theme ties into the global theme to End Racism and Build Peace, invoking the founding principles of the United Nations as the Organization continues leading international efforts to shape a more just, more peaceful world for all.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan hosted a celebration today (21 Sep) in commemoration of the international day and invited peace actors from all segments of South Sudanese society to take part.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thomson Fontaine, Deputy Chief of Staff -RJMEC:
“These past four years have seen both progress and setbacks, and today provides us all an opportunity to take stock to build a South Sudan Whewre all can indeed flourish.”
Dr Thompson congratulated the parties to the signed peace agreement on their progress but also pointed out that there were still areas of unrest in the country.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thomson Fontaine, Deputy Chief of Staff -RJMEC:
“Notwithstanding the progress highlighted. Many challenges remain. In particular, a big challenge to mention today on this International Peace Day is the ongoing conflict in some counties of Unity, Upper Nile and Central Equatoria States”
He went on to remind them of the need for total peace in the country.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Thomson Fontaine, Deputy Chief of Staff -RJMEC:
“We cannot truly celebrate peace in all of South Sudan when there is conflict in any part of it.”
In recent days, the President and the First Vice-President agreed to resolve the parliamentary impasse, which now enables the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly to continue ratifying critical bills that will create the legislative and legal frameworks for important benchmarks in the roadmap. This roadmap contains a set of revised timelines that extends the transitional period by 24 months and envisages elections in December 2024.
The UNMISS Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General – Political was also on hand and spoke about the steps being taken to implement the peace agreement.
SOUNDBITE (English) Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General – UNMISS:
“While there have been challenges to the peace process in South Sudan, the parties have also taken some difficult and positive steps to preserve the peace framework. Notably, on 4 August the signatory parties agreed on a Roadmap for completing the remaining tasks of the country’s transition, through a South Sudan-owned process.”
Cong acknowledged the graduation of the first batch of unified forces as a positive step in curbing inter-communal violence and providing peace and security to the citizens of South Sudan.
SOUNDBITE (English) Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General – UNMISS:
“I also commend the ongoing graduation of the first batch of the Necessary Unified Forces that started last month. Adequate provision of the budgetary resources necessary for the graduated forces, their integration and deployment remain vital to create a unified army and to consolidate potential gains. The unified force opens the possibility of their deployment to help curtail subnational and inter-communal violence. It will strengthen the capacity of the Transitional Government to protect its own citizens and guarantee national security.”
These efforts are important against a backdrop of inter-communal conflict that fuel repeated cycles of violence. The fighting between factions in Upper Nile is deeply concerning. We also strongly condemn recent violence in Upper Nile, especially on the Adidyang IDP site, Mayom, in Unity, and Rualbet in Warrap.
SOUNDBITE [ENGLISH] Riek Machar, First Vice President – Government of South Sudan:
“We have made a giant step towards implementing the peace agreement when we graduated phase one of the security arrangements of the forces. When we graduated them. It is important why, because with security forces you consolidate peace. You begin to have faith that peace is there.”
Since 2013, more than two million people have been displaced, while many have lost their lives. Subnational violence undermines this young country’s efforts towards peace, recovery, and development. Such conflict continues to devastate communities and drive humanitarian needs. The graduation of the unified forces plays a big role in the security arrangements of the peace agreement and stabilization of the country.
SOUNDBITE [ENGLISH] Riek Machar, First Vice President – Government of South Sudan:
“The security arrangements is the backbone of the peace agreement. Once you implement part of it and you continue implementing the rest of it, you will achieve full peace. We need peace in our country because any dreams we have, without peace, we will not achieve them.”
More than 17,000 UNMISS peacekeepers—military, civilian and police—do their best to nurture enduring partnerships with local communities and authorities; traditional leaders; government counterparts; political and military actors; law enforcement personnel; women, children, and the larger civil society. UNMISS also supports humanitarian agencies to facilitate delivery of life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable.
The Mission remains committed to the full implementation of the Peace Agreement together with the AU, IGAD and R-JMEC and the international community.
SOUNDBITE (English) Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General – UNMISS:
“On today’s International Day of Peace, I urge all South Sudanese to silence the guns, stand up against prejudice and hatred, and recognize that in your diversity, lies your greatest strength. I reassure you that UNMISS continues to be your partner for peace. Happy International Day of Peace!”
