Alessandro Rossi, EU's deputy head of mission to South Sudan during the Dawn show in Juba on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 | Credit | Lin Nelson/Eye Radio

The European Union says it cannot initiate long-term developmental plans with the current transitional government in South Sudan because it is incomplete.

It says several outstanding provisions are still not being implemented.

These include; the reconstitution of the transitional national legislature, the reunification of forces, full establishment of state governments and constitutional making process, and the economic sector reforms.

“If the security arrangements are not completed, if transitional justice has not even started, if public finance management is not redressed then we cannot speak of appropriate implementation of the peace agreement,” Alessandro Rossi, EU’s deputy head of mission to South Sudan, said on the Dawn show.

The 2018 revitalized peace agreement also provides for the reconstitution of commissions such as; Anti-Corruption Commission, National Audit Chamber, Relief and Rehabilitation, Human Rights, Judicial Service, Civil Service, Refugees, National Petroleum and Gas and South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, among others.

But most of these ambitious reforms have not been initiated or completed.

“You cannot have a proper new transitional unity government without a parliament. There are no real check and balances at the moment and this is not the kind of government the international community is ready to speak with for long-term planning of development,” he stated.

The Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission has cited mistrust between the parties, inter-communal violence, and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic as having contributed to the slow pace of implementation.

He agrees that the parties have been conducting the selective implementation of provisions within the agreement.

Alessandro said this is hindering the delivery of services to the ordinary people.

Last week, the United States also outlined benchmarks in which it will judge the South Sudan peace process.

They comprise unhindered operations of the UN Mission, adherence to the cessation of hostilities, the establishment of the hybrid court, tackling corruption, freedom of the press, activists and political parties.