.       CTSAMVM Chairperson, Maj. Gen. Teshome Anagawe Ayana

·       Honourable Ministers

·       Excellencies, Heads of Mission

·       Distinguished Generals

·       CTSAMVM Board Members

·       Ladies and Gentlemen

Good Morning!

1.   Let me start by commending the CTSAMVM Chairperson for convening this extraordinary meeting. This is the first CTSAMVM Board meeting since March this year. The political and security crises the Peace Agreement has experienced since the Nasir incident, also in March this year, have been very disruptive to its work, and indeed the Peace Agreement overall. I would like to thank the CTSAMVM leadership for keeping RJMEC and IGAD well-informed about the operational and administrative challenges this very important mechanism has been facing, and continues to face. This meeting is therefore very timely, and the Board is well-positioned to provide guidance to the CTSAMVM in the delivery of its mandate. 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

2.   I feel honoured to attend this gathering and address you at this 4th CTSAMVM Extraordinary meeting. CTSAMVM was established pursuant to Article 4 of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS 2015) and reconstituted in 2018 pursuant to Articles 2.4.7.  and 2.4.8. of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), 2018. It is the only mechanism mandated by the R-ARCSS to monitor the Parties’ compliance with the provisions of Chapter II, specifically the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements, and duly report to the RJMEC and IGAD. 

3.   Thus, CTSAMVM is IGAD’s and RJMEC’s eyes and ears in South Sudan in as far as the Parties’ compliance with Chapter II is concerned. At a strategic level, CTSAMVM is a very important confidence-building mechanism for all the Parties to the Agreement and the people of South Sudan. It does this through its independence, impartiality in monitoring and reporting, and above all, the joint participation of all the Parties with arms at all levels of CTSAMVM structures, including the Board. However, CTSAMVM’s work is not without challenges.

4.   From RJMEC’s perspective, the challenges facing CTSAMVM include reduced mobility as a result of climatic conditions, lack of essential equipment, and the reduction in the number of Monitoring and Verification Teams (MVTs) due to financial constraints, and a backlog of reported violations pending investigation.  

5.   As one of the outcomes of this meeting, I would like to urge the CTSAMVM Board to provide guidance in meeting these challenges, so that CTSAMVM can resume investigations and produce reports awaited by the Parties and the people of South Sudan, as well as the region and the international community. I encourage all of you to share concrete ideas that will enhance CTSAMVM’s work for the benefit of us all. 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

6.   I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Parties, the regional and international partners for contributing personnel to the hardworking CTSAMVM HQ and the MVTs. It is also very important to mention the invaluable financial support provided to CTSAMVM by donors. The donor climate has changed since the establishment of CTSAMVM in 2015, and the world over is facing economic challenges. Therefore, I would like to express my gratitude to the donor community for committing financial resources not only to CTSAMVM but to RJMEC as well, despite the challenging financial situation their nations are facing. 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

7.   In conclusion, I would like to appreciate you all for your hard work as members of the CTSAMVM Board. You all have busy schedules, but you always take time to attend Board meetings.  

Thank You!