Non-state actors demand AU ad hoc committee reactivation
A group of representatives drawn from civil society organisations, youth, women, and faith-based organisations is urging the African Union (AU) to activate the AU ad hoc committee to push the parties to implement key provisions of the revitalised peace agreement.
These include the Chapter Two of the security arrangement, the permanent constitution, and security laws, financial management reforms, repatriation of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) within the remaining 12 months of the transitional period.
The demand was made during their meeting with the AU Peace and Security delegation headed by Kenya and deputised by the Egyptian government on Friday.
The meeting focused on three key issues, like the implementation of the security arrangement, general elections, and intercommunal violence, which, according to the group, has been fuelled by a lack of graduation of forces.
Speaking on behalf of the group to The City Review on the phone after the meeting, Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), said the regional efforts were needed to rescue the country’s situation.
“The AU ad hoc committee was previously to lobby South Sudanese leaders to deliver the agreement on behalf of the AU Security Council, and improve complementarity or subsidiary engagement with IGAD,” Yakani said.
“But recently, this particular mechanism has not worked,” he added.
The AU C5 countries comprise South Africa, Nigeria, Chad, Algeria, and Rwanda, who were to work in collaboration with IGAD to ensure adherence to and full implementation of the 2018 revitalised peace agreement.
“AU should take the responsibility to engage with parties to the agreement in partnership with IGAD to pressurise and implement the agreement because there is a high deficit in trust and confidence among our leaders, and this impacts negatively on the implementation of the agreement,” Yakani said.
Regional and international partners, and peace monitoring bodies have expressed concern over the slow pace of peace implementation and its likelihood of derailing the overall devastating security and stability in the country.
On Thursday, the new Chairperson of the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), Lt. Gen. Asrat Denero Amad, warned of the collapse of the ceasefire if the violations continue.
“Pertaining to the very critical issue of the permanent ceasefire, there is a concern that the ceasefire is under pressure and could be fracturing. There are areas where it is apparently being undermined,” Lt. Gen. Asrat Denero Amad said.
Though lack of political will and compromise on the force contribution ratio, unified command, and ranks continued to impede the graduation of the first batch of the joint forces, the government said financial and logistical constraints exacerbated by the UNSC arms embargo affected the process.
