South Sudan’s main coalition of donors which includes the United States, Norway, and the United Kingdom called on President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Macharto to urgently implement the move to a transitional government before the expiration of February 22, 2020 deadline.
TROIKA which is made up of the U.S, Norway and the U.K, urges South Sudan to revitalize peace agreement (R-ARCSS) and also commit to finalizing the pending tasks before the lapse of the extended deadline.
The pending tasks include providing a cantonment for troops, training and unifying 83,000 soldiers from various factions into one professional national army ahead of the transitional period. Also, the parties have to agree on the number and boundaries of states, which has been an issue in the past as several meetings mediated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) between the government and SPLM-IO regarding the number and boundaries of states have always ended in vain due to varying interests.
South Sudan’s leaders Kiir and Machar signed a revitalised agreement in September 2018 and had an initial deadline of six months to form a transitional government that would last for three years before an election is held. It is the second time that an extension has been granted following the signing in 2018 of the latest peace deal between warring sides amid pressure to end the five-year-long conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions of others. The parties agreed to establish the government in time but has failed to do so.
It is advisable that the leaders promptly finalize and become a transitional unity government, failure to do so could amount to yet another civil war in the country, which would have major repercussions on the already struggling economy.
It could also result in several consequences for the country such as sanctions from the U.S and other bodies. In the last few months of 2019, South Sudan officials were sanctioned on two occasions by the U.S on the grounds that some of its ministers were perpetuating conflict in the country. Once a country is sanctioned, its doors are closed to foreign investors or loans, thereby having an adverse effect on the economy.
A war could also give rise to sociocultural issues like an increase in sexual violence, destruction of properties, massive death tolls, ethnic violence, arbitrary detentions, and a host of other brutal atrocities. A unity government is a precondition for South Sudan to hold elections after a transition period of three years, and any additional delay will likely torpedo the plan for an election in 2022.
With less than six weeks left to meet the extended deadline to form a Transitional Government of National Unity, South Sudan’s leaders have a clear duty to their citizens to deliver.
By Faith Ikade
