[JUBA, South Sudan] — Western diplomatic missions have issued a critical warning to South Sudan’s transitional government, cautioning that its proposed amendments to the 2018 peace agreement could undermine the country’s fragile political stability and legitimacy.
The embassies of Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union delegation have jointly expressed concerns over the government’s attempt to alter the agreement’s terms outside of agreed-upon procedures.
The 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) has been instrumental in ending the country’s long-standing conflict, but recent moves by the transitional government to push forward with amendments have been met with international disapproval. These amendments include decoupling national elections from the census and permanent constitution, which some argue could deepen existing tensions and risk a resurgence of conflict.
The diplomats have echoed the concerns of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), which oversees the agreement’s implementation. They argue that the proposed changes were not the result of inclusive consultations, particularly noting the exclusion of key stakeholders such as Riek Machar, leader of the second-largest political party.
As the government moves forward with the amendments, Western powers have called for the transitional government to engage in inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders to ensure a sustainable peace process.
The international community’s stance underscores the importance of adhering to the procedures set out in the 2018 agreement, which remains the sole basis for the transitional government’s legitimacy.
The South Sudanese government, however, asserts that the amendments are necessary to facilitate elections and that consultations were indeed inclusive.
As the situation unfolds, the international community watches closely, with the fate of South Sudan’s peace agreement and the stability of the region hanging in the balance.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: Panafricanvisions
Source: Pan African Visions
