Archbishop Badi urges parties to speed up implementation of pending tasks

The Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, Justin Badi Arama has appealed to the transitional government of national unity to fully implement the security arrangements, repatriation of refugees and reconstitution of national election commission.

“We are all in agreement that the election must be conducted, however we are very much concerned that most of the key prerequisites of the election process are not fully implemented. We are saying before elections all these prerequisites must be fully implemented,” Badi told journalists in Juba on Tuesday.

“The ECSS leadership appeals to the revitalized transitional government of national unity and friends of South Sudan to ensure that elections are held without further extensions,” he added.

Badi reminded parties to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement to avail budget for elections, and also repatriate and reintegrate returnees who have fled ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan and those who returned from refugee camps.

Elections had been planned to be held at the end of the transition period in 2023, but this was extended till December 2024 under the roadmap agreed upon among the parties in August last year.