Amb. Maj. Gen. (rtd) George Owinow of RJMEC highlighted major challenges facing the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan during a virtual meeting with the AUPSC. He reported increased armed clashes, stressed the urgency of addressing rising political tensions, and called for constructive dialogue among Party leaders. The Ambassador urged completion of key transitional processes and the activation of supportive mechanisms for peace and reconciliation.
The Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), Amb. Maj. Gen. (rtd) George Owinow, expressed serious concerns regarding the current state of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). Speaking during a virtual address to the 1265th African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), he highlighted that the Agreement is encountering significant challenges.
Amb. Owinow noted a series of armed clashes in January and February 2023 involving forces of the Parties signatory to the Agreement, particularly in Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal States, with subsequent conflicts reported in Nasir County, Upper Nile State. He emphasized the urgent need to address the escalating political tensions in Juba and throughout the nation.
He urged the leadership of the R-ARCSS Parties to engage in constructive dialogue and to collectively refrain from actions that may further escalate tensions. Additionally, he called on the African Union Peace and Security Council to encourage the Parties to cease actions that threaten trust in the peace process and to restore the functioning of security mechanisms.
Amb. Owinow also emphasized the importance of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) in completing Phase I of the unification of forces while initiating Phase II, as well as implementing Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) processes. Furthermore, he highlighted the necessity of advancing the constitution-making process and preparing for free, fair, and credible elections set for December 2026.
In conclusion, he proposed the activation of existing mechanisms to support South Sudan, including the Panel of the Wise, to foster dialogue and reconciliation among the Parties moving forward.
In summation, Amb. Maj. Gen. (rtd) George Owinow articulated critical concerns regarding the challenges facing the R-ARCSS. He called for immediate and unified actions among the leadership of the Parties to preserve peace and stability. Furthermore, he underscored the importance of completing transitional processes and emphasized the need for ongoing dialogue and reconciliation measures to navigate the current challenges in South Sudan.
Original Source: www.radiotamazuj.org
