14-12-2018: Juba, South Sudan: The IGAD Mediation Support Unit (MSU) from December 11-12, 2018 held a two day meeting in Juba, South Sudan with an aim to update the IGAD Committee of Ambassadors (CoA) on the various initiatives undertaken in 2018 by the Mediation Unit.
Top on the agenda were; the outcome of Third High Level Retreat of Mediators to develop a Reconciliation Framework; progress on the development of a Mediation Protocol and the high level round-table meeting on confidence building measures between the Stakeholders of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
The guest of honor at the opening was Amb David Buom Choat, the Director of Regional Organizations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Sudan, in his capacity as the guest of honor who stressed the need to focus our concerted efforts towards achieving lasting peace and security in the region.
Amb. Choat also highlighted the need for peace-building in the Republic of South Sudan following the newly signed revitalized agreement that was brokered by IGAD.
The MSU also were able to report on the implementation of 2017 Resolution of financial contribution of the Member States- to the Mediation Fund.
MSU following the standing instruction of the Resolution of the Committee of Ambassadors (CoA) dated 18 September 2012 in Toudjourah, Djibouti MSU was mandated to report bi-annually to CoA on its mandate.
The bi-annual meetings serve as an opportunity to update member states about the progress and milestones achieved by the Mediation Support Unit, challenges and recommendations on the way forward. To this regard, CoA review activities of the MSU and give guidance.
This meeting was organized with the support of the African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), which works across the Peacemaking – Peacekeeping – Peace-building continuum as it seeks to encourage and promote the constructive resolution of disputes in Africa and so assist in achieving political stability, economic recovery and peaceful co-existence within just and democratic societies.
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