No progress made in unification, deployment of forces since Nasir incident – RJMEC

JUBA – The Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity has made no progress in the unification and deployment of forces since the Nasir incident, which led to the arrest and suspension of First Vice President and leader of the SPLM/A-IO, Riek Machar.

South Sudan graduated the first batch of its Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) on August 30, 2022, marking a significant milestone in the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.

The ceremony in Juba saw over 20,000 members of former rival groups trained into a single national army, police, and other security forces, with a total goal of 83,000 unified personnel over time, according to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.

However, in its third quarterly report released Thursday, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) stated that the little progress made to unify and deploy forces has been undone amid a series of persistent clashes between government and opposition forces.

“As a result of the serious violation of the Permanent Ceasefire by key signatory parties, there has been no progress in the unification and deployment of forces. The little progress on the unification of forces that had been registered between August 2022 and January 2023 has been eroded by the ongoing fighting,” the report stated.

RJMEC warned that the country’s political and security situation continues to deteriorate, undermining the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement following clashes between the SSPDF and the White Army, allegedly backed by the SPLA-IO, in a major ceasefire violation that has reignited mistrust among the major parties to the truce.

In the report  covering 1 July – 30 September 2025, prepared pursuant to Article 7.9 of the R-ARCSS, the commission reported an increase in clashes between parties signatory to the R-ARCSS, which it said constitute violations of the Permanent Ceasefire.

It noted that the clashes particularly involved the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army – In Opposition (SPLA-IO) across the Upper Nile, Jonglei, Western, Central, and Eastern Equatoria States, signalling widespread breaches of the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements.

The report added that the R-ARCSS faced renewed challenges following the Nasir incident (March 2025), a major violation of the Permanent Ceasefire, and its aftermath, which triggered arrests, detentions, and an ongoing judicial process.

“As a result of the serious violation of the Permanent Ceasefire by key signatory parties, there has been no progress in the unification and deployment of forces. The little progress on the unification of forces that had been registered between August 2022 and January 2023 has been eroded by the ongoing fighting,” the report stated.

The report further emphasised that the current political and security situation must be addressed urgently to return the implementation process to the right track in order to safeguard the gains of the Peace Agreement and to prevent a relapse into violence in South Sudan.

“With barely 13 months left until the elections as scheduled, there is a need for expeditious implementation of the pending tasks of the constitution-making and electoral processes, as they are interlinked. Implementation of most of these tasks requires funding.”

It said that the National Election Commission (NEC) is faced with several challenges, including a lack of political will, persistent security concerns in the country, and inadequate and delayed funding disbursement.

“On the humanitarian front, the Commission reiterates the urgent need for the lifting of access restrictions by armed actors and assurances of the safety of humanitarian workers to enable the urgent delivery of assistance to the affected communities.”

Notwithstanding the numerous setbacks faced during the reporting period in the implementation of the R-ARCSS, the Commission stated that South Sudan was not left alone.

“All diplomatic concerted efforts by partners at the regional and international levels have been invested in restoring the sanctity of the R-ARCSS. These efforts are a clear demonstration of their political goodwill towards the quest for sustainable peace and stability in South Sudan.”

“South Sudanese leaders should reciprocate this goodwill by engaging in dialogue with each other and returning to the inclusive implementation of the R-ARCSS to enable a smooth end to the transitional period,” it added.