The Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani, has urged all signatories to the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) to uphold the integrity of the peace accord and renew their political commitment to its full implementation.
Speaking as stakeholders gathered for the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) meeting in Juba, Yakani called on the parties to use the platform to prevent the peace agreement from becoming a politically manipulated document controlled by one group, rather than a shared commitment by all involved.
“Violations of the peace agreement without accountability have significantly eroded trust among the signatories,” Yakani said. “There is an urgent need for renewed political will to move South Sudan from violence toward lasting peace through the full implementation of the R-ARCSS.”
He recommended that the RJMEC initiate an inclusive political dialogue to rebuild trust among the parties and address ongoing breaches of the agreement.
Yakani noted that the failure to hold violators accountable has led to public disillusionment and encouraged parties to focus on power struggles instead of national reconciliation and peacebuilding.
He also expressed concern over the recent divisions within the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), warning that such internal rifts further hinder progress in implementing the peace accord.
Yakani reaffirmed CEPO’s call for all parties and stakeholders, including RJMEC, to strengthen their political will and uphold the R-ARCSS as the cornerstone for achieving sustainable peace, stability, and a democratic transition in South Sudan.
