Deng Alor for FDs, Michael Makuei for TGoNU, Henry Odwar for SPLM-IO, and Gabriel Changson for SSOA, during the signing ceremony on the extension of the pre-transitional period on May 3rd, 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. PHOTO: Koang Pal Chang/Eye Radio

The government has pledged to support the process and allocate the required budget for the successful implementation of the pre-transitional period tasks.

Last week, IGAD has invited the parties to the agreement for the two-day meeting in Ethiopia capital, Addis Ababa in which they reviewed the status of the pre-transitional tasks as the period was due to expire on 12 May 2019.

Some of the key pending tasks include security arrangement, number of states and constitutional amendments.

On Friday, parties to the agreement have agreed to extend the period for the formation of a transitional government of national unity by six months.

In the agreement, the government pledged to make available an additional one hundred million dollars (US $100m) to expedite the implementation of the pending task.

Speaking to media on Friday in Addis Ababa, Martin Elia Lomuro, the Secretary of the National Pre-Transitional Committee [NPTC], said the government is ready this time to fund the pre-transitional period and will use oil and non-oil money to fund the process.

“The economy of the country has improved, our non-oil revenue system has been upgraded and is now operating to a high standard so that local revenue has also increased, so the financial need of the agreement will be forthcoming,” Lomuro said.

The Cabinet Affair Minister said President Salva Kiir has asked the government delegate to extend the pre-transitional period for the interest of the country.

“There was a concern that the government may object the extension but with the guidance of the president we are very happy that we have achieved this outcome and I want to say to the people of South Sudan, this is a proof that the parties to the agreement have seen your suffering, and that is why they have done this extension”. He stressed.

For his part, Dr. Lam Akol also one of the leaders of SSOA, welcomed the government commitment to support the pre-transitional period.

“We are happy and grateful to the government for having pledged more financial resources toward the implementation of this task because the question of the money was the obstacle from very beginning apart from others but the main obstacle was the issue of the money”. Dr. Lam said.

Changson Lew Chang, one of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance leaders who attended the meeting said that the parties will make sure they implement the outstanding issues within given six months.

“We could not form the government on the 12th of May because important issues on the security arrangement, the issue of states, and the constitution have not been delivered, and therefore, we have to give ourselves time to deliver them in the extended period of six months.”

For his part, Henry Odwar, the deputy chairperson of SPLM-IO said his party has the political will and committed to implementing the peace agreement.

“It’s up to us now to make sure that we have the will to implement the peace in later and spirit, as IO, we have been for peace, and we are committed to it”.

Part of the agreement in Addis Ababa stated that the priority should be given to completing the cantonment and unification of forces to establish an effective security arrangement for full implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.

It also said that the Independent Boundaries Commission should expedite its work on the determination of the number and boundaries of states and restructuring and composition of the Council of States.

It recommends IGAD Heads of State and Government to convene regular face-to-face meetings of the top leadership of the parties to the R-ARCSS to review progress towards implementation.

For his part, the IGAD special envoy to South Sudan, Dr. Ismail Wais has welcomed the outcome of the meeting.

He reiterated IGAD’s commitment to continuing engaging the non-signatory parties in the peace agreement to be part of the implementation process.