South Sudan's peace monitors urge parties to urgently resolve outstanding tasks

JUBA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan peace monitors on Thursday called on warring parties to resolve critical outstanding tasks necessary for the timely and smooth formation of a new unity government on Nov. 12.

Augostino Njoroge, interim chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), said only 26 days are left for the parties to meet and resolve the unification of 83,000 forces, the number and boundaries of states without further delay.

He said the body secretariat's assessment revealed that out of 63 identified pre-transitional tasks, 31 tasks have been completed, 22 are ongoing, and 10 are still pending.

"These tasks can be expedited and resolved by the leadership of the parties before the Nov. 12 deadline. In my consultations with the parties on Wednesday, they tentatively agreed to hold a meeting this Saturday to address some of the outstanding issues," Njoroge told the stakeholders monthly meeting in Juba.

He observed that the revitalized peace agreement has yielded dividends in the country, adding that permanent ceasefire has continued to hold and there is an overall improvement in the security and humanitarian situation across the nation.

According to the UN mission in South Sudan report, close to 600,000 people have returned to their homes.

"These are gains that must be consolidated by ensuring that there is a firm foundation upon which the revitalized transitional government of national unity is established," said Njoroge.

He appealed to the regional and international partners including friends of South Sudan to enhance their financial, political and in-kind support to the full implementation of the Sept. 12, 2018, pact.

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar signed the revitalized peace deal in September 2018 mediated by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Ethiopia to end five years of conflict that broke out in December 2013.

The 2015 peace agreement collapsed after the outbreak of renewed fighting in Juba in July 2016, which forced Machar to flee into exile.

On May 12, parties agreed to extend the pre-transitional period for another six months before forming the much-awaited transitional unity government that will see Riek Machar reinstated as the country's first vice president. Enditem