South Sudan ceasefire monitors to cut staff plan due to funding shortfall
South Sudan’s Ceasefire Transitional Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) said on Monday that it will cut it’s staff in January 2024 due to funding shortfall.
“Due to a reduction in donor support, CTSAMVM will be downsizing in January, the number of Monitoring and verification teams will be reduce from 8-6 and there will also be reduction in the number of headquarters staff,” said Maj.Gen Hailu Gonna, the Chairperson for CTSAMVM told journalists at Beijing Hotel in Juba during the board meeting.
Gonna revealed that CTSAMVM reports including several others in the pipeline have not been published due to issues of technical committee, adding that reduction in funding will affect the operation of the mission.
“This reduction will create further challenges for the mission, we will all have to learn how to manage with considerable fewer resources, we can fulfil our mandates provided we have full cooperation and understanding of CTSAMVM,” he said.
Charles Tai Gituai, the Chairperson for the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, said the pending reports will be processed by CTSAMVM, adding that the ceasefire monitors will continue to deliver on their mandate despite reduction in funding.
“More importantly, the 9 pending violation reports will immediately be processed, submitted to Rjmec and igad and finally published, this will enable the parties to act and to find necessary remedies to the violation including accountability,” said Gituai.
He noted that since July 2022, CTSAMVM has faced serious logistical and operational challenges following the withdrawal of funding for it’s activities by the US government.
