Page 14 - Nile Explorer Issue 007
P. 14
S outh Sudan, the world’s youngest
nation has been mired in a cycle of
conflict and instability for nearly all the
eight years since it gained independence
from Sudan.
Last month, Mr. Riek Machar was
sworn in as first Vice-President, finally
sealing the peace deal giving hope to a
restive population that have not known
peace for decades. This come with
compromises though, with President The new Cabinet includes Angelina Nevertheless, a daunting array of
Salva Kiir – against the wishes of many Teny (wife of First Vice-President Riek challenges will test the new govern-
of his many supporters – agreeing to Machar) as Defense Minister and ment’s unity and capacity, most urgent
Beatrice Wani as Foreign Minister.
return South Sudan to the pre-2015 being the need to implement the transi-
position of 10 states, although he added Under the terms of a peace agreement tional security arrangements, given that
2 administrative areas and 1 area with that came into effect on 22 February the pre-transitional structures have
Special Administrative status. These are 2020, South Sudan is governed by a become redundant. Others include need
Pibor and Ruweng and Abyei respec- Revitalized Transitional Government of to restructure the economy and expand
tively. National Unity (RTGoNU. The govern- service delivery.
As a result of the Comprehensive Peace ment is led by a cabinet of 35 members. Demobilizing armed groups and
Agreement signed in 2005, the abyei Under the terms of the agreement, integrating some into a single national
Area is considered to be simultaneously SPLM will nominate 20 ministers, defense force with a central command is
part of the republic of Sudan and the SPLM-IO will nominate nine ministers, a priority to peace and security; howev-
Republic of South Sudan, effectively, a South Sudan Opposition Alliance er, in a polarized political environment,
(SSOA) will nominate 3, former detain-
this would be a challenge for the
condominium. ees will nominate 2 and the remaining government.
With the deadlock broken and five Vice minister will be nominated by other
Presidents sworn in, the President parties to the agreement. Moreover, the exercise of re-organizing
the military will not be a walk in the
subsequently announced a full Cabinet, According to Kiir and his hitherto park, given that both sides have been at
ending an anxious wait for the forma- protagonist, Machar, the result of the war with each other for close to 8 years.
tion of a government crafted from a February 2020 peace agreement, President Kiir has, for some time now,
2018 peace deal. marked the end of the South Sudanese been working on integrating rebel
The new council of ministers includes Civil-War; however observers and the forces into the military, a process that
34 ministers and ten deputies, international community has adopted a must be expedited, moving forward;
composed of politicians who will be wait and see posture cognizant of the however, this could come with the an
running the Revitalised transitional recent history of the country, particu- intended consequence of a bulging
government of national unity z(R-TG- larly the peace process and the reaction- military estimated at a combined
NoU). ary actions of the two men and their personnel of 83,000, in an economy
supporters. that can ill afford it.
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