PRESS STATEMENT: COMBATING COVID-19 WHILE IMPLEMENTING PEACE AGREEMENT
Juba, June 06, 2020 (PW) — The fate of Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) implementation is moving very slow and totally behind schedule due to the turn of focus to the fight on COVID-19.
The wages of the COVID-19 have effectively contributed in slow implementation of the R-ARCSS. The great challenge on the road for genuine implementation of R-ARCSS is the capability of the parties to balance their attention between combating COVID-19 and implementing R-ARCSS.
Community Empowerment for Progress Organization is seriously concern about the lack of proper balancing between combating COVID-19 and implementing the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan.
The parties to R-ARCSS should develop a strategy for balancing their commitment on combating COVID-19 and political commitment for implementing R-ARCSS.
Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO said the chances for R-ARCSS implementation will be pass deadline as agreed upon by the parties is high. R-ARCSS implementation is absolutely below expectations.
The parties to the R-ARCSS are required to exercise their primary political responsibility for making R-ARCSS implementation successful. The combat of COVID-19 should not reinforce slow or absence of political will to implement the R-ARCSS.
It is time for the political parties of South Sudan to stand up unto their responsibility for making peace and stability to prevail across South Sudan. Change of political attitudes and behaviors for productive politics is required from every South Sudan politicians.
The dilemma and stalemate around the formation of the revitalized transitional state and local governments including formation of the revitalized transitional national legislative assembly will take more time if the parties did not stand up unto their primary responsibility for handling the situation between combating COVID-19 and implementing R-ARCSS genuinely. Mr. Yakani stressed
CEPO is urging the parties to R-ARCSS in collaboration with RJMEC and IGAD to adapt urgent strategy for balancing focus on combating COVID-19 and implementing R-ARCSSS. Engagement of stakeholders in the process for developing the strategy is essential.
CEPO is calling upon the parties to R-ARCSS in collaboration with RJMEC, IGAD and AU to deliver the recent decisions made during the recent IGAD Extraordinary meeting on South Sudan dated 23rd April, 2020 and the African Union Peace and Security Council decisions made on 9th April, 2020.
Among the key decisions are updates on the finalization of the all necessary instruments for the operationalization of the Hybrid Court for South Sudan by 9th June, 2020 and the process for undertaking Post-conflict needs assessment to identify the priorities and resources required in South Sudan
Finally, CEPO is urging the parties to meet the AUPSC given deadline on the fate of the hybrid Court for South Sudan on the 9th June, 2020. CEPO strongly calls upon AU and IGAD to laydown proper strategy to delivering the AUPSC call for South Sudan Peace Needs Assessment.