JUBA — The Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), Amb. Maj. Gen. (rtd) George Owinow, on Tuesday urged the parties to the 2018 peace deal to avoid taking any steps that could increase tensions.
In a statement to the 1265th African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), which was held virtually on Tuesday. Owinow called on the government to engage in constructive dialogue, speak with unity, and show that they are committed to preventing the country from going to war again by holding regular Presidency meetings.
“Consider activating existing mechanisms in support of South Sudan, which could include the Panel of the Wise, to proactively engage with the parties going forward in a spirit of dialogue and reconciliation,” Amb. Gen. Owinow said.
Owinow emphasized that in order to be ready to hold free, fair, and credible elections in December 2026, the government should give top priority to finishing security measures, including the constitution-making process.
He pointed out that hostilities in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, followed reports of violent clashes in January and February of this year involving forces from parties to the agreement in Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal States.
“As a result, political tensions in Juba and around the country are heightened, and there is an urgent need to prevent them from rising any further,” he said.
Owinow noted that since it was signed in September 2018, the Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) has encountered the most significant obstacles
