US Amb. Thomas Hushek speaks at round-table discussion with journalists in Juba on Monday, Oct. 7, 2019 | Credit | Daniel Danis/Eye Radio

The next government of national unity should not exclude any party that signed the revitalized peace agreement in September last year, the U.S Ambassador to South Sudan has said.

Parties to R-ARCSS are expected to form a coalition government next month to pave way for reforms, permanent peace and stability in South Sudan.

But the government, SPLM-IO, and other opposition parties have been slow at implementing the security arrangements, and the determination on the number of states – within the pre-transitional period as stipulated in the agreement.

Recently, the government said it would establish the TGoNU in November, with or without Dr. Riek Machar.

The agreement reinstates Machar as the First Vice President.

President Salva Kiir said if the SPLM-IO was not willing, he would form the government with other parties to the agreement.

But Ambassador Thomas Hushek says the parties should honor the agreement by forming a united government that is inclusive of everyone.

“You can’t be a unity government if other signatories drop out,” he said during a roundtable discussion with journalists in Juba on Monday.

“The government hasn’t put forward its pledged financial support for the process yet and they are also very slow to register forces for the cantonment.

“They need to be talking about settling this outstanding political issue of the number and boundaries of states.”

In 2017, the parties signed the cessation of hostility agreement to allow for the movement of civilians and humanitarian assistance.

They later signed the ceasefire agreement to allow for the implementation of the agreement.

So far, the ceasefire monitoring body, CTSAMVM, says the ceasefire has been holding.

Amb. Hushek stressed that:

“This has been the cornerstone of the peace agreement so far and it needs to stay in place so that there is room for dialogue, hopefully within the unity government.”