Edmond Yakani, the Executive Director of the Community Empowerment Progress Organization [CEPO] - Credit: Eye Radio/Lou Nelson |

The Executive Director for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization said he welcomes a 24-month extension of the legitimacy of the unity government.

Edmund Yakani said the parties to the peace agreement have agreed to extend the transitional period for another 24 months.

He said the time frame will give time for the implementation of the critical pending tasks in the 2018 agreement.

According to him, President Kiir’s roadmap committee have called for a meeting with stakeholders and agreed to let the unity government stay in power, until December 2024.

“At least government have responded to our call by saying the development of the roadmap must take into account our voices as civil society or as stakeholders,” he said.

“Today [Wednesday], we have been consulted by the committee on roadmap appointed by the president and we discussed the extension of the timeline of the agreement,” he added.

Yakani alleged that the two-year extension of the interim period was agreed upon after “a hard talk with the election roadmap committees.”

He said the public opinion poll indicates that the majority of citizens support an 18 months extension, to which the stakeholders added another 6 months.

“We said technically 18 months is an opinion of the citizens, that the parties should work within 18 months to implement the revitalized agreement and this is per discussion that we conducted across the country,

“We have submitted the public opinion polling to the committee and 6 months were added to make 24 months for the implementation of the agreement, and we have agreed that at least y December 2024, elections would have been conducted.”

The peace parties are expected to unveil a Roadmap for the Transitional Period at an event at Freedom Hall on Thursday.

Late on Wednesday, the Office of the President invited government officials, members the of diplomatic corps, and all Stakeholders of the Revitalized Peace Agreement to attend the event.

However, it is not clear if the planned roadmap discussion would be inclusive of all parties to the agreement.

Yakani urged the two principals of the peace agreement – the President and First Vice President to change their tone of engagement to implement the agreement with willingness.

Meanwhile, diplomats from the US, UK, and Norway are boycotting the meeting on the roadmap at the Freedom Hall, saying all relevant parties have not been consulted on the matter.

The Troika countries said in a joint statement, addressed to President Salva Kiir, that they are boycotting the session if the all signatories are not consulted as required in the agreement.

“We regret that we are unable to attend the function at the Freedom Hall tomorrow morning [Thursday] at Ambassador or Charge d’ Affaires-level.”

“We are writing to you personally to express our profound concern that fully inclusive consultations must take place with civil society, faith-based groups, business, women’s groups, youth representatives, eminent persons, and international partners before the R-ARCSS is amended.”

According to the Troika’s statement, all relevant parties to the revitalized peace agreement have not been included in consultations about the contents of the roadmap and an extension to the transition period.

The peace guarantors stated that the extension should depend on an inclusive consultation process even if the roadmap and extension are seen as legitimate by the people of South Sudan.