Outgoing Japan Ambassador to South Sudan is confident the country will fulfil all the outstanding tasks of the peace deal roadmap even though it might miss the timelines.
In an interview with South Sudan media outlet Radio Tamazuj on December 22, Ambassador Tsutsumi Naohiro said he believes South Sudan will achieve, among others, the unification of forces, a permanent constitution, judicial and financial management reforms, even if it takes more time than expected.
” Even if it takes more time than expected, I repeat. It must be done thoroughly, however, because it is the only way to reach the goal of peace, democracy and development,” Amb Tsutsumi said in the interview published on Christmas Day.
The envoy acknowledged the progress made in the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement, saying key processes have been achieved. Those he cited were the formation of governments and legislative bodies, the start of deployment of the unified forces, Constitution making process, and preparation for the 2024 elections.
“Although its pace is behind the schedule of the roadmap, these achievements should not be underestimated because they are all indispensable steps for the final goal of the R-ARCSS [revitalized peace agreement] to create a democratic South Sudan,” the ambassador said.
Regarding the elections set for December 2024, Ambassador Tsutsumi said Japan “will try to financially support IGAD, RJMEC, and CTSAMVM [Ceasefire & Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring & Verification Mechanism], which would work to ensure the credible elections”.
“UNDP, in partnership with JICA, is to launch voter education project next year, in which half of the participants will be women. In addition, JICA’s electoral management expert served as the advisor to the National Election Commission, to identify the pending tasks, establish the administrative system for voter education, and raise awareness about the election and democracy,” he said.
Earlier this month, at the 33rd monthly meeting in Juba, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) called on the South Sudan government to demonstrate commitment to the elections by providing the funding required to hold the polls.
RJMEC Interim Chairperson Amb. Maj. Gen. Charles Tai Gituai called on the government to fund the reconstituted elections-related institutions (the Political Parties Council, the National Elections Commision and the National Constitutional Review Commission), and the completion of the unification of forces.
“This month next year, elections are scheduled to be held, and yet across all chapters of the Agreement, much more progress in implementation is required. One of the key issues holding up progress is funding to all the Agreement institutions and mechanisms,” Amb. Gituai said on December 7, adding that, “It is imperative that the Parties to the Agreement cooperate in a collegial manner and present a unified plan for elections.”
On security, Gituai raised concerns on reported military defections among armed parties to the peace deal, “which often create instability resulting in loss of life and civilian displacement”.
“Military defections are clearly contrary to the Revitalized Agreement and undermine the implementation of both the Transitional Security Arrangements and the Agreement itself. In the context of the ongoing unification of forces, military defections are evidently counterproductive,” he warned.
While remaining optimistic, Ambassador Tsutsumi place the responsibility of holding polls in 2024 on the hands of the South Sudanese [political class], saying if they want the elections to take place, Japan is willing to help them get ready for it.
He also indicated that the infrastructure projects Japan is undertaking in South Sudan are consistent to its “Proactive Contribution to the Global Peace” foreign policy.
“Japan needs stability in East Africa. To Japan, East Africa is the gateway to the African Continent. South Sudan’s peace and stability interrelates with that of East Africa,” he said.
Ambassador Tsutsumi is leaving after serving for three and a half years in Juba.
