JMEC Sounds the Alarm on Security
South Sudan’s Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, or JMEC, warns that nationwide security deteriorated sharply between July and September, signalling what it calls a “major decline in security”.
Clashes Resurface in Five States
The commission’s quarterly report cites violent clashes among signatories of the 2018 peace agreement, disrupting half of the country’s ten states and preventing investigators from reaching some alleged ceasefire-violation sites.
Machar Trial Fuels Political Split
Legal turmoil deepens the rift. In Juba, Vice-President Riek Machar and supporters face a special tribunal, a move observers say has driven several of his senior military allies to flee for fear of arrest.
Cabinet Stalemate and Judicial Moves
Government activity has largely stalled. Monitors note the national cabinet has not convened since March, while President Salva Kiir’s administration appointed more than twenty judges without opposition consultation, inviting renewed criticism.
Hybrid Court Debate Reignites
Stakeholders remain divided over justice mechanisms. Although the peace deal mandates an African Union-supervised hybrid court covering all wartime abuses, only the ad-hoc tribunal trying Machar is in operation, underscoring persistent institutional gaps.
Access for Monitors Remains Crucial
Observers argue that restoring JMEC’s field access is urgent, warning that unchecked clashes could erode remaining trust among peace partners and jeopardise the fragile agreement.