AU security team arrives in Juba for 3-day visit to access peace implementation

JUBA – A high-level delegation of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) has arrived in South Sudan’s capital Juba to access the implementation process of the revitalized peace agreement signed by rivals, now peace partners, in September 2018.

President Salva Kiir Mayardit and a number of rebel groups such as the SPLM-IO and South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) signed a revitalized version of a 2015 peace agreement in 2018, but critical tasks meant to be implemented before the commencement of the transitional period have not yet been implemented, three years into the agreement’s signing.

The African Union early this month announced that it was sending a team to Juba to look into the implementation of the agreement and said a retreat to discuss outstanding issues between the parties was being organized in Uganda by President Yoweri Museveni, one of the leaders serving as guarantors of the peace deal.

Speaking to reporters in Juba upon arrival on Tuesday afternoon, Kenyan’s permanent representative to the African Union, Jean Kamau, who is also the head of the 15-member delegation said they have come to Juba to access the level of implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.

“The Peace and Security Council of the African Union is here for three days at a historic moment when the government of South Sudan is celebrating its two years in office but also to come and review the peace process here in South Sudan. To assess the achievements which have been made, to look at the challenges, and really to provide solidarity and support to the people of South Sudan,” Amb. Kamau said.

“So, within the period that has passed and what is left, we want to know what are the challenges, what are the key support areas that we (AU) need to put more emphasis in to ensure that we meet the deadline. So we are here on a mission, we are just beginning,” She added.

The top AU diplomat further revealed that she and her team will explore the implementation process of the agreement by meeting with various stakeholders of the revitalized peace agreement in a bid to identify challenges to the implementation process of the revitalized peace agreement.

“We will be here for three days. We will talk to a cross-section of stakeholders from the government, the civil society, political parties, and some of the development partners just to get a sense of how the peace process is going, where are the challenges and how can the Peace and Security Council of the African Union continue to support South Sudan during this transition,” Amb. Kamau said.