The statement comes ahead of the official launching of the extension of the transitional period due to kick off on February 22, 2025.
By Lodu William
Troika countries comprising the United States, Norway, and the United Kingdom have urged the signatories to the peace agreement to get serious and implement their commitments as there is no time to waste.
“We appeal to all parties to the agreement to take urgent steps now to implement their commitments. There is no more time to waste,” said Michael J. Adler, the U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan.
“The signatories to the peace agreement must end the ongoing clashes before they escalate into broader, national conflict.”
The statement comes ahead of the official launching of the extension of the transitional period due to kick off today, February 22, 2025.
Ambassador Adler noted that the ongoing clashes in some parts of the country are just a symptom of the core problem.
“The fundamental problem continues to be the willful refusal to meet peace commitments and to use public revenue transparently and for public benefit.”
The ambassador said five months since the agreement to extend the transitional period, they noted the authorities had not taken any of the steps necessary to create the conditions for peaceful and credible elections.
“Not only has there been no progress in unifying the armed forces, but we are seeing direct clashes between forces associated with the signatories in Western Equatoria and Upper Nile. This is in addition to violence in other parts of the country,” said the Troika in the statement issued on Thursday.
The Western countries said they noted a continued failure of political will to use public revenue appropriately to meet the hopes of their people and the expectations of international partners that the South Sudanese people will have peace and a government responsive to their needs.
“We note with sadness that we cannot point to significant or consequential progress by the parties to the 2018 peace agreement in implementing their peace commitments.”
“We can only point to how often RJMEC meetings have served to highlight this lack of progress. Indeed, almost seven years after the signing of the peace agreement, we see a continued failure of political will on the part of its signatories to bring the transitional period to a peaceful and successful conclusion.”
Troika in its joint statement said the transitional government’s failure to use public revenue appropriately and transparently predates the conflict in Sudan and the disruption of the oil pipeline.
“Salaries remain unpaid, eroding even further public security and public services. Living standards have only deteriorated further. Even today, despite the challenges, the transitional government still has the financial resources to pay salaries and provide other essential public services, if the political will exists.”
They continued that the absence of steps since last September’s announcement of yet another extension led them sadly to doubt the transitional government’s commitment to make the extension the last one.
They stated that the patience of South Sudan’s partners and its people have been exhausted.
“Since September, far from seeing any progress in implementing the 2018 agreement, the situation in the country has only grown worse.”
The Western countries further called on the transitional government to begin using public revenue to pay public sector salaries regularly, to ensure access to basic health and education services.
Besides, they urged the transitional government to unify security forces and pay for the implementation of other essential peace commitments.
“Peace is our priority in South Sudan. Those around this table who share this priority must refuse to conflate meetings with progress. Those who come here to monitor and evaluate should do so honestly, objectively, and with candor.”