South-Sudan-Army

The South Sudanese army on Friday said some 59 million U.S. dollars are needed to fully implement security arrangements and push forward peace process to end more than five years of conflict.

Lul Ruai Koang, spokesman of South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF), said that Joint Defense Board (JDB) proposed 14 cantonment sites across the nation and this exercise required money to execute fully.

“We are behind schedule. We are left with only three to four months for the formation of the next new transitional government. For the security arrangements to speedily meet the deadline, the board now requires 59 million U.S. dollars,” Koang told Xinhua in Juba.

He said the money is needed to operate the proposed 14 cantonment sites, hence the need for the international community and well-wishers to fund the implementation of the security arrangements.

Koang said the board is tasked with command and to control all forces during the pre-transitional period, including cantonment of forces, responsible for the collection of heavy and medium-range weapons and other ammunition.

“Funding is now a key challenge, but the government and all the parties to the revitalized peace agreement need to put their efforts together and rally behind lobbying for possible funding otherwise the time is running,” said Koang.

Earlier this week, Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM-MV) facilitated the fourth Joint Defense Board meeting and discussed the security sector reforms as stipulated in the signed revitalized peace deal.

President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-opposition (SPLA-IO), agreed to the final peace deal mediated by Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).