JUBA, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Tuesday urged the parties to the 2018 peace deal to speed up implementation of the outstanding tasks to achieve peace and stability before elections by 2023.
David Shearer, also Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan, revealed that the peace process remains fragile, despite the parties having registered some positive progress since the formation of the revitalized transitional government of national unity in February 2020.
"While important progress has been made, the peace process remains fragile and there is still much to be done including picking up the pace on constitution-making, transitional justice and economic reform," Shearer told journalists in Juba during his farewell speech.
Shearer encouraged the parties to make bold decisions to speed up the unification of the army.
The outgoing UNMISS chief will soon be replaced by South African Nicholas Haysom who was appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Jan. 15.
Shearer encouraged people still living inside the internally displaced person's (IDP's) camps to return to their homes.
According to UN agencies, close to one million people are living in IDP and UN camps in the country after being displaced during the outbreak of violence in December 2013 and July 2016 renewed violence respectively.
"I am also pleased and encouraged to see that most people who once fled in fear to UN Protection of Civilians Sites have either returned home or are living in newly transitioned displacement camps under the responsibility of the South Sudanese government," said Shearer.
He called for an end to the brutal inter-communal violence in most affected areas like Warrap and Jonglei.
"I hope that there is an end to the sporadic but brutal violence that we continue to witness in parts of the country like Jonglei and Warrap, so that the communities can have the opportunity to recover and rebuild their lives," said Shearer.
The UN official urged the people and leaders to remain united and energized to push the peace process forward to fully implement the revitalized peace agreement, in addition to holding elections that will enable communities to enjoy peace and prosperity. Enditem