Hanna Tetteh, special representative of the Secretary-General & head of the UN Office to the African Union | Credit | UN

A Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General has called on the African Union and the region to influence and encourage the Opposition parties, including the SPLM-IO, to join an all-inclusive transitional government.

According to the revitalized peace agreement, the peace parties shall set up the reconstituted government of national unity on 12 November, exactly 26 days from today.

Preconditions attached to this are implementation of the security arrangements, which involves registration, training and cantonment of unified forces.

Despite reported progress in the implementation of the pre-transitional period, the peace parties have come under pressure for making anti-peace statements recently.

The President said he would go ahead and form a coalition government without his main co-signatory to the September 2018 peace accord.

On the other hand, SPLM-IO of Dr. Riek Machar said it would be part of the new unity government unless all the security arrangements are put in place.

Hanna Tetteh, who is also the head of the UN Office to the African Union on Wednesday told a meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council Meeting on the Situation in South Sudan to encourage and facilitate the parties to accelerate implementation of the peace agreement.

“The preferred option is to support the parties to establish an all-inclusive government, as previously agreed by the parties, to avoid a breakdown of the peace process and a possible relapse into conflict,” she stresses.

Tetteh says the international community should also persuade the government to renew and demonstrate its political commitment to peace implementation, including by delivering on its pledge to fund implementation of the agreement.

Four months ago, the government pledged to make available an additional $100 million to expedite the implementation of the pending tasks of the pre-transitional period.

However, recently remitted $5 million into the account of the Joint Defense Board to expedite the implementation of security arrangements as enshrined in the revitalized peace agreement.

Related story: https://www.eyeradio.org/igad-asks-govt-to-provide-peace-funds-as-promised/

But there have been reports of death at some cantonment sites, particularly in Amadi and Torit states, where soldiers are living in poor conditions. They lack medical supplies, including clean drinking water, foodstuffs and medicines.

Last week, the United States threatened to impose fresh sanctions against South Sudan leaders if they failed to form a coalition government as scheduled.