The parties to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement have been urged to speed up the constitutional making process ahead of the 2024 elections.
Nicholas Haysom, the head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said on Thursday that despite the passage into law of the National Elections Act, the constitution-making process is envisaged to conclude in July 2024 – six months ahead of elections in December 2024.
“There has been no progress on the constitution-making process since we last convened,” Haysom said during the plenary meeting of the reconstituted joint monitoring evaluation commission (R-JMEC) in Juba.
“I also encourage the Joint Task Force for the Implementation of the constitution-making and electoral processes to resume its monthly meetings and address issues related to electoral and constitution-making processes. During the last meeting on 27 July, the AU, IGAD, and UNMISS presented to the Joint Task Force a list of 10 priority issues for urgent consideration and agreement,” he disclosed.
Haysom said among the 10 priority issues include conducive political and security environment, level playing field for all political parties as well as civic and political space, saying these are critical before, during and after elections.
He added that these efforts are inextricably linked to finalizing the transitional security arrangements and addressing general insecurity across the country, in particular to mitigate sub-national violence in order to instill confidence that the constitution making process and elections will be conducted in a safe and secured environment.
In addition, Haysom called on the parties to speed up the integration and deployment of the necessary unified forces.
He welcomed the recent order of the Joint Defense Board for Phase I graduates to return to training facilities with their weapons, within seven days for initial deployment, and for recruits for Phase II to start training.
Charles Tai Gituai, the chairperson the reconstituted joint monitoring evaluation commission, urged the parties to expedite the reconstitution of the National Election Commission and also fund it adequately to enable it undertake it’s tasks.
On the unification of forces, Gituai noted that despite food and other supplies having been procured to the training centers, there is no new progress regarding the redeployment of phase one of the unified forces or the commencement of phase two of unified forces training.
He also called for funding to be provided to the disarmament demobilization and reintegration commission (DDR) to enable it perform it’s mandate.
Elia Lomuro, the national minister for cabinet affairs said food items and other military requirements for the deployment of phase two of the necessary unified forces have been secured and delivered to the training centers.
He said soldiers are reporting to their respective training centers and security agencies are compiling deployment lists in order to complete the deployment process.
