15-05-2018, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia): Within the framework of the preparation for the High Level Revitilisation Forum (HLRF) led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, IGAD Director of Peace & Security Division, Ambassador Tewolde Gebremeskel, this morning in Addis Ababa opened a two-day seminar on Governance and Security Issues for stakeholders of the South Sudan crisis.
In order to support the parties’ deliberations during the HLRF due to start on May
17th, the IGAD Facilitation is organizing this seminar on Governance and Security
Issues as an opportunity for the key representatives of the parties, leading on governance and security issues, to revisit general principles and practices relating to
governance and security issues during political transitions.
As a means to refresh and deepen knowledge on subject matters, it is through presentations, case-studies, discussions and exercises, that the sessions are providing participants with key information to enable them to identify optimal security arrangements, power-sharing options and challenges associated with a Transitional Government of National Unity.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Tewolde speaking for IGAD Executive Secretary gave a brief overview starting from the decision of the IGAD 59th Council of Ministers of December 17th, 2017 during which the convening of the HLRF was endorsed. He continued with the signing by parties of the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) on December 21st, 2017, and the full participation of stakeholders to the Phase I of the HLRF and to the ongoing Phase II.
“In the intervening period between Phase II of the HLRF and today, IGAD Council of Ministers has been engaging with your respective parties in Juba, Addis Ababa, and Pretoria, in order to bridge the gaps in your divergent views on the outstanding substantive issues”, he said. According to Ambassador Tewolde, IGAD arranged the current seminar to stimulate insightful discussions and broaden participants’ perspectives before adding that he had every hope that the outcome will contribute to the deliberations of the forthcoming HLRF.
While the sessions are not for negotiation, the case studies and presentations are meant to enable participants to reflect, in a non-adversarial environment, on the specific challenges of transitioning in the South Sudanese context.
In the joint sessions, the parties are expected to reflect on key lessons straddling governance and security; the linkages between politics and security; guarantees and oversight mechanisms; and Gender aspects of governance and security arrangements in a transition.
The expected outcomes of the Security and Governance Issues workshop are as follows:
- better understanding of the challenges of permanent ceasefire and transitional security arrangements;
- common understanding of the key concepts and options for transitional
- security arrangements;
- enhanced knowledge that enables the participants to think creatively about solutions to the challenges of permanent ceasefire and transitional security
- arrangements during the HLRF discussions on Chapter II;
- enhanced participants’ understanding of the key elements of security processes and key functions of the various implementation institutions and mechanisms;
- better understanding of the possible complementary roles of third parties in the implementation of transitional security arrangements.