RJMEC Sounds Alarm over South Sudan’s Stalled Transition, Deepening Crisis
By Emmanuel Mandella
The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) has highlighted the persistent setbacks facing the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, exacerbated by the deteriorating political and security situation in the country.
In its latest quarterly report covering the period from April to June 2025, RJMEC outlines alarming developments including the house arrest of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, the detention of several senior SPLM/A-IO officials, and fresh clashes between government forces (SSPDF) and opposition troops (SPLA-IO)—as threats to the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
“Overall, the implementation of the key provisions of the RARCSS faced severe setbacks during the reporting period, with progress largely stalled and the risk of renewed conflict increasing,” RJMEC noted in part.
On the continued house detention of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and other other SPLM/A-IO leaders, the peace monitor recommended a peaceful resolution, as per the Communiqué of the 1283rd Meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC).
Meanwhile, RJMEC also stated that the Permanent Ceasefire, a core pillar of the R-ARCSS, continued to be violated, with multiple clashes reported between government and opposition troops, particularly in Upper Nile, Unity, and parts of Jonglei.
These incidents have displaced thousands and resulted in the destruction of critical infrastructure, including health centers and schools.
Further, the humanitarian crisis has escalated to a new level of urgency. More than 7.7 million people over half the country’s population are facing acute food insecurity. Humanitarian workers report worsening access due to insecurity and obstruction by armed groups.
“Conflict disrupted humanitarian operations and led to the forced relocation of humanitarian workers, halted critical medical outreach operations, targeting of humanitarian personnel and assets, abduction of workers, disruption of river transport (which is the most viable means of transportation during the rainy season), looting of nutrition supplies and drugs, bureaucratic impediments and intensified checkpoints and searches, which caused delays in critical aid deliveries,” the report said.
RJMEC has called on international partners, including the African Union (AU), IGAD, and the United Nations, to intensify pressure on South Sudan’s leadership to recommit to the peace agreement. The commission also urged the government to immediately release political detainees and resume key security arrangements, including the unification of forces and judicial reforms.
Meanwhile, the Commission urged the government to ensure the functionality of all the agreement implementation institutions and mechanisms, especially the Transitional Security Mechanisms and to Rebuild trust and confidence in the peace process.
It urged parties to the agreement to restore adherence to the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements, and refrain from acts of violence and to collaborate with Ceasefire monitor to enable it to investigate, verify and report findings on pending allegations of violations of the provisions of the Permanent Ceasefire.
