(From right), UNMISS Deputy Special Representative - Political, Mr. Guang Cong picutred with Lars Petter Henie, Chargé d'affaires, Royal Norwegian Embassy at the signing of the grant for CTSAM-VM.

The Norwegian government has committed at least 840 million South Sudanese Pounds ($941,000) to support the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism.

The two-year grant agreement to be implemented by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan will cover the cost of aviation support to CTSAMVM.

Lars Petter Henie, the Charge d’ Affairs at the Royal Norwegian Embassy said that the support will enable the ceasefire-monitoring body to deliver on its mandate.

The finance will be channeled to UNMISS to support and will also help UNMISS to deliver on its mandate and to support CTSAMVM.

“With this support, the welcome news is that the National Monitors have returned to work. We hope and expect that CTSAMVM will rapidly be able to resume its investigation and reporting, which is critical to the implementation of R-ARCSS and to reduce violence across the country”, added Mr. Henie.

CTSAM-VM is a body responsible for monitoring and verifying the implementation of the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

It has been struggling with a lack of funding since the U.S. scaled down financial support in July 2022. Washington said it had abandoned the peace-monitoring systems because the country failed to meet reform milestones and sustained progress in the peace implementation.

On March 2, 2023, members of the CTSAMVM and RJMEC laid down their tools over unpaid arrears.