[NEAR VERBATIM]
RJMEC Chair,Excellencies and distinguished guests,I thank the RJMEC for the opportunity to speak here today.Let me start by expressing my deepest gratitude to Amb. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai for his exceptional leadership and dedication as Interim Chair of the RJMEC over the past five years. His contributions have been invaluable, and I wish him every success in his future endeavours.And I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the new interim Chair, Major General George Aggrey Owinow. Your arrival comes at the beginning of the fourth extension to the 2018 Revitalized Agreement. Your task, and it will be a task we share with you, is to assist South Sudan exit its transitional period with peaceful and credible elections.Excellencies, Since the last RJMEC meeting, we have observed some limited but not unimportant progress. I welcome the enactment of the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing Act and the Compensation and Reparation Authority Act (2024) into law, as well as the Council of Ministers’ approval for their implementation. We welcome the unanimous commitments made by the government at the 2024 Governors’ Forum to expand political and civic space in their respective states. Their resolution calling for the repeal of Sections 54, 55, and 57 of the National Security Act is a significant step forward in safeguarding civic and political freedoms. We also welcome the National Security Sector Reform Conference’s approval of the three strategic defense documents developed by the Strategic Defense and Security Review Board. This marks an overdue milestone in advancing security sector reform. We urge expeditious approval of these documents by the cabinet and adoption by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA).Simultaneously, we call on the government to establish a robust mechanism to implement the recommendations of the Judicial Reform Committee. Strengthening the judiciary and upholding the rule of law are indispensable for fostering stability, ensuring accountability, and achieving sustainable development.I We also should acknowledge the progress made in operationalizing the National Elections Commission (NEC). The NEC has taken important steps, including launching its website, developing a legally mandated code of conduct, rolling out a civic and voter education strategy, and engaging in consultations with political parties and civil society groups. The UN integrated team remains committed to supporting the NEC by constructing and refurbishing all its offices in 10 states and has initiated specialized training for the National Police Service (NPS) on election security. Additionally, UNMISS, with its partners, IGAD and AU, will continue to provide support to other technical institutions, including the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC), to ensure robust and inclusive electoral and constitution-making processes.Excellencies,While these are some positive developments, the lack of urgency demonstrated by the parties since agreeing to extend the transitional period is evident. Critical milestones remain unaddressed. Obviously, I’ve not digested the elaborate briefing just provided by the NTC. Since I last briefed this forum, clashes between parties to the agreement in Western Equatoria have clearly demonstrated the dangers posed by the lack of progress on the security arrangements. The ongoing presence of two forces with separate chains of command in close proximity has led directly to violence, civilian casualties and displacement. Clashes in Nasir this weekend come after persistent calls from the community that SSPDF forces in the area be replaced by NUF. These events underscore, once again, the urgent need to deploy the NUF and show that the presence of a unified force is a priority for the civilians living in fragile areas. The time for action is now—the people of South Sudan deserve peace, stability, and a unified commitment to their safety.The recent reconstitution of the National Transitional Committee (NTC) with General Kuol Manyang as its Chairperson gives confidence and has already raised expectations for the timely execution of outstanding tasks, particularly those related to the unification of forces. Ladies and gentlemen, The imperative to consolidate peace and progress on the NUF is reflected in subnational violence which remains a significant concern affecting civilians.Our last quarterly report on violence affecting civilians saw a 12 percent increase in violent incidents and a nine percent increase in the total number of victims compared to the third quarter in 2024. Similarly, the total number of incidents affecting civilians in 2024 offset what had been a happy decline in the trend seen between 2020 and 2023. The humanitarian crisis in South Sudan continues amid food insecurity, economic shocks, conflict shocks, climate hazards and disease and public health issues, worsened by the Sudan conflict itself.Since its outbreak in April 2023, nearly 1.1 million people have fled the conflict in Sudan and arrived in South Sudan. An estimated 6.1 million South Sudanese are at risk of experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity or above between December 2024 and March 2025. This number is projected to increase from April to July 2025 during the lean season. The solution to food insecurity is to provide security assurances to farmers so that they can utilize the fertile land, the water and the sun that South Sudan is blessed with.The new extension of the transition period begins in two days. I urge the leadership across the board to act decisively to ensure South Sudan does not find itself in the same position at the end of 2026 as it is today. Critical political decisions must be made without further delay and decision-making, as you are aware, does not cost money while adequate funding must be disbursed immediately to enable unification of the forces, electoral and constitution-making bodies to spring into action. The future of South Sudan depends on bold and urgent decisions by its leadership and I know that it is possible.Regional and international partners must continue to speak with one voice and the UN, in concert with IGAD and the AU, stands ready to support the government in fulfilling its promises to its people and completing its transition. I thank you.--Contact: UNMISS Spokesperson, Priyanka Chowdhury at chowdhury20@un.org or unmiss-spokesperson@un.org