A celebrant holds South Sudan flag high on 9 July 2011 | Credit | Unknown

The UN mission in South Sudan has said the 11th anniversary of independence is an opportunity for South Sudanese to celebrate their common values and to rally together for nation-building.

In a statement on Friday, UNMISS Chief Nicholas Haysom said, the country’s road to stability has not been easy, and that the upcoming months will be critical as transitional period draws to an end.

“The journey out of civil war has not been easy and the upcoming months will be critical for South Sudan, as the transitional period approaches its end in February 2023,” said Mr. Haysom.

The UN official also reiterated IGAD’s call on the national leaders to agree on a roadmap to pave the way towards free, fair and credible elections.

Hayom’s statement comes a day before the country marks the 11^th Anniversary of Independence on Saturday.

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General appealed to principals of the 2018 revitalized deal to redouble their efforts to agree on a roadmap with clear benchmarks on the peace implementation.

“Now is the time for national leaders to redouble their efforts to agree on a roadmap – with clear benchmarks, timelines, and priorities to pave the way towards free, fair and credible elections,” said the UN official on Friday.

Meanwhile, the peace agreement is mired with uncertainty as the main opposition movement and peace party SPLM-IO, threatened to pull out of the planned elections last weekend, citing lack of political and civic space in the country.

Also this week, the national parliament has fallen apart, with SPLM-IO members in boycott over alleged unilateral passing of political parties bill without consensus.

The antagonism in the parliament threatens to widen as the boycotting opposition lawmakers threatened to extend the protest to the council states as well as the states level.

The UNMISS boss stated, the independence day presents an opportunity for the country to celebrate its common values and to rally together for nation-building.

He calls on the country to sustain the peace and build a prosperous future, in which all South Sudanese women, men and children aspire.