Major General Charles Tai Gituai speaks at an R-JMEC meeting in Juba. |File photo.

The interim chairperson of peace monitoring body R-JMEC has urged the transitional government to promptly finalize its 2024/2025 fiscal year budget to avoid further delays in the extended peace process.

South Sudan is five months behind schedule in passing the fiscal year budget, and such delays have been blamed on the frequent changing of finance ministers and a severe economic crisis.

Speaking at R-JMEC’s 38th plenary meeting on Thursday, Maj. General Charles Tai Gituai stressed that adequate financing will signal genuine commitment to the peace process and ensure timely elections in December 2026.

Gen. Gituai emphasized immediate financial commitments to support planned elections in December 2026 by providing the necessary financial resources to the National Elections Commission and other critical institutions.

“The submission of the Draft National Budget for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 to the TNLA on 25 September 2024 ,is three months behind budget preparation schedule,” he said.

“With funding being a key part of the requirements for the extended Transitional Period, it is important that the budget aligns with peace implementation needs in a timely manner. RJMEC urges its finalization as soon as possible.”

The peace observer pointed out that a clear and coherent action plan, budget and timeline for the implementation of priority tasks for the extended transitional period must be adopted to build confidence and help resource mobilization.

He further called for coordination among the peace mechanisms and institutions “so that their work plans are aligned, coherent, and collaborative to ensure effective and efficient implementation.”

Gituai, however, raised concerns over recent violence in Upper Nile and Central Equatoria States. He cited a number of attacks allegedly perpetrated by uniformed personnel in Central Equatoria that left dozens dead.

“The permanent ceasefire continues to hold. However, there have been several alarming incidents of violence in Nassir County, Upper Nile State, that have claimed several lives and displaced thousands of families.”

“The incidents in Wonduruba and Jebel Iraqi in Central Equatoria State involved gruesome killing of approximately 26 youth, allegedly by uniformed personnel.”

He urged immediate investigations by the ceasefire monitoring mechanism CTSAM-VM to hold perpetrators accountable.