UN mission welcomes swearing-in of South Sudan parliament
By Staff Writer
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Wednesday hailed the recent swearing into office of 504 members of the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly (RTNLA) and 84 members of the Council of States as a positive step forward in the peace process.
“It is very pleasing to see the new members sworn in and we look forward to the legislature becoming fully operational in the coming days,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Nicholas Haysom in a statement issued in Juba.
It disclosed that the legislature is responsible for passing new laws and reforms that will help progress the full implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement, including the permanent constitution-making process and preparations for elections at the end of the transitional period.
“We have every confidence that the members will tackle their busy legislative agenda with energy and enthusiasm given that there is still much work to meet the benchmarks set by the peace agreement,” it said
UNMISS also lauded the appointment of the country’s first female Speaker, Jemma Nunu Kumba, saying it is a notable achievement given the target set in the peace agreement for 35 percent representation for women in governance structures.
