Ter Manyang, the Executive Director of the Juba-based Center for Peace and Advocacy or CPA - COURTESY

A civil society group has called on the transitional government to unveil a concrete plan outlining how it will implement pending critical provisions of the 2018 peace agreement after peace parties extended their tenure for two more years.

On 21st September 2024, President Kiir signed Amendment Number 12 to the Transitional Constitution of 2011, signaling the official postponement of South Sudan’s first-ever elections, after the decision was endorsed in parliament, cabinet, and R-JMEC.

The extension was agreed because most of the critical peace provisions, including security arrangements, permanent constitution-making, electoral preparations, and other issues that could enable credible elections, remain pending.

Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), a Juba-based civil society organization, now calls on the government of peace parties to release a detailed roadmap outlining how it will implement the R-ARCSS over the extended timeframe.

CPA said such plan is important for South Sudanese to understand the government’s commitment to avoid any future extensions of the R-ARCSS.

“The High Standing Committee on (R-ARCSS) has remained silent and has failed to provide a plan for the recent extension. A detailed plan will assist the implementers in tracking the progress and achievements of the R-ARCSS implementation,” the group said in a press statement.

Reacting to the postponement of elections, many South Sudanese citizens including the civil society organizations questioned the logic behind the decision which they believe is aimed at nothing but to prolong the elite’s stay in power.

Western diplomatic missions in the country including the embassies of UK, US, Norway, EU, Canada, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, also voiced their disappointment over the transitional period extension.

A statement signed by the missions pointed out that the extension highlights the transitional government’s failure to implement the 2018 peace agreement despite previous promises made in the launch of peace roadmap in 2022.

The statement further said timely elections are essential for strengthening stability, democracy, and sustainable development, and the government is accountable to the people of South Sudan for this choice.

According to CPA, political leaders in the government should not take grievances and views of South Sudanese citizens lightly, show real commitment to restore lasting peace in the country.

“We will continue to apply pressure on the leaders until we observe a serious commitment to the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan(R[1]ARCSS).”

“The donor community lacks faith in the actions taken under the R-ARCSS. Both the international community and South Sudanese citizens require serious commitment and assurance from political leaders.”