By Yiep Joseph
National Transitional Committee (NTC) continues engagement with the parties to 2018 peace agreement in order to implement pending tasks.
NTC chairperson, Kuol Manyang Juuk, revealed this while briefing Vice president for the economic cluster, on Tuesday.
According to a statement extended to the media, Kuol said that the NTC closely engages parties to the peace agreement despite implementation pending tasks faces several challenges,
“Encouragingly, all parties are now aligned on urgent priorities ranging from institutional reforms and inclusive governance to the full unification of the army,” the statement partly read.
Besides the official briefing, the two leaders’ discussions also included the need to accelerate a full implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement.
The NTC chairperson shared the committee’s ongoing efforts to engage all signatory to the peace agreement and ensure coordinated progress on key outstanding provisions.
Koul reiterates commitment to work together with emerging changes in political parties’ signatory to the peace agreement.
“The Chairperson also briefed the Vice President on the committee’s strengthened collaboration with new political leadership, following recent transitions in several signatory parties and groups,” the statement said in part.
Meanwhile, Vice President for Economic Cluster, Benjamin Bol Mel, emphasized the need for all parties to work toward peace. He noted that South Sudanese have waited long enough and they deserve peace today, not tomorrow.
“Without peace, there can be no development. Without peace, there can be no future. And without peace, there is no country to call our own,” Bol
Recently a civil society activist called on the National Transitional Committee (NTC), led by Gen. Kuol Manyang, to initiate dialogue among parties to the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement to defuse and deescalate tension in the country.
However, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani said the peace implementation mechanism could initiate a home-grown solution to the current crisis in South Sudan.
He said the NTC, which is a national domestic structure, should call on parties and stakeholders to discuss how to overcome the current situation in the country.
South Sudan has experienced a deteriorating security situation and a breakdown in working relationships among the 2018 peace parties following the outbreak of violence in Upper Nile, Western Equatoria, and Western Bahr el Ghazal, and cantonment sites in Central Equatoria.
Several SPLM-IO officials, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang, Gen. Duop Lam, and First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, have either been arrested or put under house arrest.