Full Communique of the 69th Extra-ordinary Session of IGAD Council of Ministers

November 11, 2019 Communiques

COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE 69TH EXTRA-ORDINARY SESSION OF IGAD COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ON THE SITUATION IN SOUTH SUDAN 10th November 2019 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Official Emblem of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) (Photo courtesy: IGAD)

Nov 11th, 2019 (SSNN)-The IGAD Council of Ministers held its 69th Extra-Ordinary Session on the 10th November 2019 in Addis Ababa, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, under the chairmanship of H.E. Gedu Andargachew, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to deliberate on the status of the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and the way forward.

The meeting was attended by H.E. Awut Deng Acuil, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Sudan; H.E. Asma Abdalla, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan; H.E. Dr. Philimon Mateke, State
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda; H.E. Hirut Zemene, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; H.E. Ababu Namwamba, Chief Administrative Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya; H.E. Abdulkadir Ahmed-Khayr, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Somalia; and H.E. Mohamed Ali Hassan, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Djibouti.

The meeting was also attended by H.E. Amb. Mahboub Maalim, the outgoing Executive Secretary of IGAD; H.E. Dr. Ismail Wais, IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan; H.E. Smail Chergui, African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security; H.E. Jamal El-Sheikh, Sudan Special Envoy to South Sudan; H.E. Betty Bigombe, Senior Advisor to the President of Uganda on South Sudan; H.E. Amb. Lt. Gen. Augostino S.K Njoroge, the Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC); and Mr. David Shearer, Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of UNMISS; H.E. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, UN Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa; and representatives of the African Union High Level Ad Hoc Committee for South Sudan (South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Rwanda and Chad).

The representatives of the Troika on South Sudan (USA, UK and Norway), European Union, and Japan were also present at the opening session. The representatives of the Troika and EU also made statements.

After listening to the reports by the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, H.E. Amb. Ismail Wais, and the Interim Chairperson of RJMEC, H.E. Amb. Lt. Gen. Augostino Njoroge;

The Council:
1. Congratulated the Parties for the progress made in the implementation of pre-transitional tasks in particular the holding of the ceasefire and the continued opening of humanitarian corridors;
2. Welcomed and appreciated the Communique of the Tripartite Summit convened in Entebbe by the President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Museveni, and attended by the President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit; the President of the Sovereign Council of the Republic of the Sudan, H.E. Abdalfatah Alburhan; the Chairperson of the SPLM/A-I.O., Dr. Riek Machar Teny; and the Kenya Special Envoy to South Sudan, H.E. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka; which, among other things, extended the Pre-Transitional Period by one hundred (100) days to enable critical pending pre-transitional tasks to be completed;

Further welcomed the Outcome Document of the Ministerial consultative meeting with the Parties to the R-ARCSS held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 9th November 2019, which endorsed the agreement of the Tripartite Summit; and endorsed the Outcome Document including the agreement to extend the Pre-Transitional Period for one hundred (100) days effective from 12th November 2019;
Noted that critical pending pre-transitional tasks that are crucial for the formation of the R-TGoNU particularly relating to Transitional Security Arrangements and the determination of the number and boundaries of states are still outstanding;
Called on the Incumbent TGoNU to immediately disburse the balance of the USD 100 million to NPTC to enable the completion of the critical pending tasks;
Noted with concern that some civilian centers still remain occupied by SSPDF and SPLM/A-I.O. forces, and urged SSPDF and SPLM/A-I.O. forces to immediately vacate all remaining civilian centres and populated areas;
Urged all forces of the Incumbent TGoNU and the opposition to be cantoned in barracks and cantonment sites respectively pursuant to the provisions of the R-ARCSS;
Called upon the IGAD Heads of State and Government to continue facilitating face-to-face meetings of the leadership of the Parties including the two principals;
Urged the Incumbent TGoNU to urgently mobilize the necessary assistance to expeditiously deliver the in-kind support stockpiled in Juba to the various cantonment sites and barracks;
Emphasized the need to work on a roadmap and implementation plan to ensure the timely completion of pending pre-transitional tasks and in this regard instructed the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan in collaboration with R-JMEC, CTSAMVM and the African Union Commission to urgently organize a workshop for security mechanisms in Juba to agree on a roadmap with clear timeline for the implementation of Transitional Security Arrangements within the one hundred (100) days extension;
Called upon the guarantors and the Parties to urgently operationalize the new Mechanism agreed upon in the Entebbe Tripartite Summit of 7th November 2019, and to prepare the Terms of Reference of the new Mechanism by taking into consideration the mandate and work of existing Agreement mechanisms and institutions. In this regard, the Council directed that the new Mechanism should work closely and coordinate with the NPTC, IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, R-JMEC and CTSAMVM;
Directed the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan to:

i. facilitate a meeting of the Parties to the R-ARCSS to resolve the issue of the number of states and their boundaries and any other outstanding issues pertaining to the establishment of the R-TGoNU;

ii. continue engaging the non-signatories to the R-ARCSS and in this regard the Council to provide the requisite political support;

iii. organize a leadership retreat for the Leaders of the Parties to the RARCSS for trust and confidence building as soon as possible;

iv. closely monitor the progress of implementation of the critical pending tasks within the one hundred (100) days of the newly extended PreTransitional Period in close collaboration with R-JMEC and CTSAMVM;

The Council also:
i. Appreciated the support received from the AU, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Japan, and South Africa, and called on regional and international partners to provide the necessary support to expedite the implementation of pending tasks;

ii. Recognized and greatly appreciated the exceptional service and contribution that the outgoing Executive Secretary of IGAD, H.E. Amb. Mahboub Maalim, made to the growth and development of IGAD, and wished him well in his future endeavors; and

iii. Recognized and commended the relentless diplomatic and mediation efforts of the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, Amb. Dr. Ismail Wais, and directed that all necessary support be accorded to him by all Parties and stakeholders to the R-ARCSS as well as Members States and international partners; and