South Sudan peace monitors welcome proposed roadmap on elections

JUBA – South Sudan’s peace monitors on Thursday welcomed the proposed roadmap that aims to guide the country towards the end of the transitional period and pave way for peaceful and credible elections.

On July 15, 2022, a team of four senior government officials submitted a roadmap to President Salva Kiir at the State House J1.

The team is comprised the Presidential Advisor Tut Gatluak Manime, Cabinet Minister Dr. Martin Elia Lomoro, Foreign Minister Mayiik Ayii Deng, and Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth.

The draft proposal, pending deliberation by the presidency, will guide the country towards the end of the transitional period and pave the way for peaceful and credible elections.

Speaking during the opening of the 23rd RJMEC monthly meeting in Juba on Thursday, Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai commended the committee for proposing a roadmap for tackling the approaching end of the transitional period.

Amb. Gituai said, a draft roadmap presented to the President on Friday 15th July 2022 “is a welcome development.”

“I understand that this draft will be discussed by the Presidency before being tabled to the Parties for consideration. Once adopted by the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU), it will be presented to RJMEC,” Gituai said.

Gituai said the detailed roadmap is expected to ensure implementation of the remaining tasks, and to facilitate peaceful, free, fair, and credible elections at the end of the transition period.

He said, “Despite the April agreement on a unified command structure, progress towards the graduation of the unified forces has stalled.”

“Nonetheless, I am encouraged by the recent statement of H.E. the President, that the Presidency will soon meet and set a date for the graduation of the unified forces,” he added.