South Sudan’s peace monitoring body meets to discuss election postponement

South Sudan’s peace monitoring body, or the (RJMEC), held Thursday its first substantial meeting since the latest postponement of delayed elections.

The Head of the UN mission to the country said a new workplan was needed to restore confidence in South Sudan’s leadership.

Florence Agiba, a youth representative, shared her disappointment: “While we acknowledge the challenges that led to the extension of the transitional period, we can’t help but feel a sense of disappointment and frustration. Two years is indeed a long time for a generation that has grown up in conflict. It is another two years of uncertainty and another two years of delayed dreams,”.

Noting many appeals for the provision of up-front funding for democratic institutions and processes, peace partners said requests for international financing must be backed up by demonstrable proof that the country’s own resources are being prioritized to deliver the peace deal and elections.

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When announcing the extension in September, the government cited uncompleted critical tasks.

During the RJMEC meeting it did not provide a substantive update on the implementation plan.

Its representative said further information would be provided when the Minister of Cabinet Affairs returned from a tour of regional countries.

The country has never held polls since gaining independence in 2011.