South Sudan says JMEC meetings should be held in Juba

November 12, 2018 (JUBA) - South Sudan’s Information Minister of Information slammed a decision by the East African bloc to hold the first meeting for the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) in Ethiopia.

Minister Makuei was reacting to a decision by the IGAD to convene its first meeting after the signing of the revitalized peace agreement in Addis Ababa on Monday 19 November.

"Why should we go and meet in Addis at the time when JMEC is here (Juba)," he wondered, pointing that transporting all the staff who are based in Juba to the Ethiopian capital and accommodating them there will generate unnecessary spending.

"We do not want all these expenses to be incurred unnecessarily because whatever little money that is there should be spent on peace. Not at the meetings outside South Sudan," he stressed in a press conference held in Juba on Monday.

The South Sudanese government has repeatedly said they do not have the money needed for the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement and called for international support.

However, few countries agreed for the time being to contribute as the Troika countries have given a conditional approval saying they want full commitments of the parties, a genuine implementation and full transparency for the management of oil income.

Beyond the financial aspect, officials in Juba say keeping holding the meetings related to the peace implementation outside the country send a negative image about the security situation in the country.

(ST)