January 28, 2023 (JUBA) – The United Nations will advise and assist with best practices for technical preparations for elections in South Sudan, the head of its mission in the country (UNMISS) said.
Nicholas Haysom was speaking during the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) monthly meeting in the capital, Juba on Thursday.
“I can confirm that the United Nations received the formal invitation from the government to assist in the (election) process,” explained Haysom.
He added, “This is significant because it authorizes the United Nations to advise and assists with best practice for the technical preparation for the elections. Let me reiterate that this will not be a UN-run process but a South Sudanese-administered election with UN support.”
Haysom urged the parties to fast-tract the drafting of the new constitution, stressing that it will provide a legal framework for the conduct of elections.
The constitution process, he said, should include voices of all the citizens.
“We want to support an inclusive process that gives a dignified voice to all South Sudanese but especially including IDPs, Refugees, women, youths, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized communities,” noted Haysom.
The top UN official also appealed to the Juba government to provide arms to the unified forces and deploy them to protect civilians in the country.
“Strengthening and deployment of unified forces to better enable the protection of civilians from north to South of the country from east to west and to create a safe space for political and democratic debate,” he said.
During the meeting, Haysom confirmed that the government had approached the UN for assistance to conduct general elections next year.
For his part, the chairperson of RJMEC Gen. Charles Tai Gituai recommended the parties reconstitute the Political Parties Council as part of the operationalisation of the recently enacted laws, which will help in protecting political space and allow for the registration of political parties.
He called on the parties to harmonize the ranks of the necessary unified forces and cater to their welfare and for dialogue among parties caught in the subnational violence.
“Harmonize the ranks of the unified forces and provide for their welfare so that they can be deployed to provide security and protection for civilians caught up in subnational violence,” explained Gituai.
He added, “Initiate dialogue between the communities and parties to address subnational violence in the country, particularly in the hotspots of Upper Nile, Jonglei, the Equatorias, and Greater Pibor Administrative Area.”
Gitua called for the commencement of the second phase of training of the unified forces without further delay and provision of adequate resources to the Security Mechanisms and cantonment sites and training centers.
On August 4, 2022, parties to the September 2018 peace deal agreed to extend it for another 24 months starting in February 2023, when the original deal is expected to expire. South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir, who signed the extension alongside four other political groups, said that the extension would allow for unification of the armed forces, creation of a new constitution and time to prepare for elections.
Under the roadmap extending the peace deal, the country’s leaders have made commitments to create a Commission on Truth, Reconciliation and Healing (CTRH) by September and a Compensation and Reparations Authority (CRA) by November. Consultations on the CTRH legislation have been finalized and a report presented to the justice minister. Similar consultations are pending on the CRA.
(ST)
