This archive report was first published on 11 January 2020.
South Sudan's path to peace remains uncertain, with only six weeks left for signatories to the September 2018 peace agreement to form the transitional government.
As of January 11, 2020, the formation of the transitional government was extended by 100 days last November and is supposed to be formed on February 22.
Despite several major achievements, the process remains vulnerable to political manoeuvres, according to a midterm evaluation by the opposition-led National Democratic Movement.
One notable achievement is the recent release of 30 political prisoners, including activist Peter Biar Ajak and businessman Kerbino Wol, through a presidential pardon as a gesture of national reconciliation and healing.
However, a number of prisoners of war and political detainees remain jailed, sparking criticism from South Sudan rights groups that the release of the political prisoners through a presidential pardon is not in line with the peace agreement.
“President Salva Kiir's pardoning of Mr Ajak and other political detainees is a step in the right direction, but that action does not absolve him and other elites from having illegally imprisoned peaceful political activists in the first place,” said Dismas Nkunda, the executive director of the Uganda-based Atrocities Watch Africa.
Article 2.1.6 of the agreement stated that all political detainees and prisoners of war be released immediately and handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The security situation in South Sudan remains calm, with the permanent ceasefire generally being observed throughout the country.
However, clashes and incidents have been reported in some parts of the country, especially in Yei area in Central Equatoria State and in Maiwut area in Upper Nile State.
The disarmament, demobilisation and re-integration commission was reconstituted and developed its work plan, but is yet to start its activities on the cantonment sites.
The parties agreed on the establishment of a new mechanism to supervise the implementation of the critical pre-transitional security tasks, but the new mechanism is yet to be constituted.
Despite the challenges, 30 cantonment sites for both the opposition and government troops are operational, but provision of food, clean water, shelter, and medicines remains a challenge and the major reason for troops deserting the sites.
According to the evaluation report by the National Democratic Movement, some sites have not received food delivery since their establishment, with the most recent food deliveries being in November last year.
Funding also remains a challenge for the cantonment centre, with the government announcing that it had released $40 million for the implementing institutions and mechanisms as part of the $100 million it pledged, but only $16 million has been available so far.
On the controversial number of states and boundaries, the Independent Boundaries Commission reached a consensus last year in favour of reverting to the 10 states, but the government still insists on maintaining the 32 states or more.
“This cannot be dialogue but dictation. Consensus is not synonymous with unanimity and hence this matter must be brought to a conclusion,” said Dr Lam Akol, the leader of the National Democratic Movement.
The evaluation report also finds that the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (Igad) has not been active in overseeing the implementation of the peace agreement, which has emboldened some parties to continue with violations and to be selective in implementing the provisions of the agreement.
On January 6, Mr Nkunda's Atrocities Watch Africa launched an online platform to nominate individuals for the Spoilers of Peace Awards, which aims to hold those who bear the most responsibility for prolonging the misery of the people of South Sudan accountable.
