Compromise on unified command structure, Yakani tells principals

A civil society activist has appealed to the signatories of the revitalised peace agreement to find a middle ground to solve the puzzle of the command structure for unification.

The Executive Director for the Community Empowerment Organization, Edmund Yakani, said the unification structure is an important task for the successful implementation of chapter two of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

“All possible actions geared towards security sector reform or transformation will fail because there will be no centralised structure of decision and authority for genuine delivery of the reform or transformation expected under the R-ARCSS chapter 2 provisions without proper unified command structures.”

Yakani stressed the importance of unified command, saying the Joint Defence Board, Joint Transitional Security Committee, and other security mechanisms will be strengthened once the unification of the command structure is fulfilled.

 “It is for the best interest of our country’s peace and stability if our leaders can embrace strategic compromises that contribute to de-escalating frictions and chances of returning to violence.

Mr. Yakani stated that professionalism in the security and defence sector requires real commitment, time, and proper financing.

According to the 2018 revitalised peace agreement, South Sudan is supposed to graduate 83,000 unified forces drawn from various parties to take charge of security throughout the transition.

However, it has been more than two years since the training of joint forces commenced, but the provision of Chapter Two of the security arrangement states that the period for the training and redeployment of necessary unified forces shall not exceed eight months from the start of the pre-transitional period.

A government official told The City Review that the screening and unification of forces across the country have so far taken more than two years due to a lack of resources.

However, many soldiers who were sent to the training facilities have reportedly deserted the centres due to challenges such as lack of food, medical supplies, and inadequate shelter for men stationed there.

The international community has repeatedly voiced concern about the delay in screening, unifying, and graduating the forces as part of the implementing revitalised agreement’s Chapter 2.