Members of the Defense and Security Review Board pose for a photo in Juba|Courtesy

The Defense and Security Review Board has endorsed five security reform documents in line with security arrangements contained in the 2018 peace deal, weeks after UN boss called for a speedy process.

These include a Strategic Security Assessment, Security Policy Framework, Revised Defense Policy, Transformation Roadmap, and the White Paper on Defense and Security.

Speaking at a press conference following a validation workshop in Juba on Thursday, Angelina Teny, the Minister of Interior and Chair of the Board, described the consensus on the documents shows a great step in the country’s quest for security reforms.

“We called you today to inform all who are concerned, including the public, that the Board finally concluded the validation of the documents required by the Agreement,” she reportedly added.

According to Teny, the documents will be submitted to the two principals, President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar.

This comes two weeks after UN Secretary General, called on the unity government and the Strategic Defence and Security Review Board to move forward and facilitate the commencement of security sector reforms.

He made the remarks in a report on 15th April whereby he highlighted key benchmarks of the peace roadmap the government needed to implement for the UN to lift the arms embargo on South Sudan due at the end of May.

These include the completion of the Strategic Defence and Security Review process contained in the Revitalized Agreement, the formation of a unified command structure for the new security force including the training, graduation and redeployment of the forces.

Noting some progress in the Antonio Guterres encouraged the unity government to complete the Strategic Defence and Security Review process contained in the Revitalized Agreement, and form a unified command structure for the new security force.

He also appealed for the redeployment of graduated forces and the training and graduation of about 30,000 remaining unified forces.