President Salva Kiir - Thursday, July 15, 2021. Credit| Office of the President - Republic of South Sudan. Credit OPPU -

The Office of President Salva Kiir has called on the international community, particularly the United States to support the unity government in its search for lasting peace in the country.

The relationship between the two countries has deteriorated since the conflict erupted in December 2013.

Kiir’s office admitted that the US was a great ally of the then Southerners, now South Sudan.

According to the press secretary in the Office of the President, the government still requires support of the American people in order to hold free, fair, timely and peaceful elections.

“The current R-ARCSS needs the support of all our friends and particularly, historical allies like the United States whose democratic tradition remain cherished globally”, Ateny Wek said.

Ateny also admits that; “the road to state formation and national building has been very long and arduous. That said we remain grateful for the bipartisan support we have been receiving during and after the war of liberation from the United States congress, the American and various administration.”

The US has already sanctioned senior government officials in South Sudan for their role in corruption, fuelling conflict and obstructing peace process in the country.

According to the revitalized peace agreement, the government shall increase partnership, coordination and mutual accountability with development and humanitarian partners to ensure policies, strategies, programs and projects, and action plans are developed through participatory and transparent mutual consent and accountability.

It mandates the Ministry of Finance and Planning to ensure that all public financial and budgetary commitments entered into by the new unity government are transparent, competitive and per the laws of the country and internationally accepted norms and practices for the management of public finances.

The agreement expects a review and implementation of a strategic national development plan to accelerate progress in achieving a sustainable and resilient national economy in collaboration with development partners.

The revitalized peace agreement stipulates that the unity government shall reform South Sudan’s existing economic and public sector financial management institutions.

These include ensuring that public financial management of oil and non-oil revenues, the exchange rate, budgetary processes, procurement, management of payroll, public concessions, borrowing, debt and regulatory agencies are effective, transparent and accountable, free from corruption.

It demands the proper allocation and use of resources for the benefit of the people of South Sudan.

Despite the odds, the US government through the USAID still remains the biggest humanitarian and developmental donor in South Sudan.