“By coming together here today, we have resolved many meaningless misunderstandings and hate speech. It has allowed us to be one, no matter what political parties we belong to,” said Khamis John Brown, Member of Parliament from Western Equatoria State.

Mr. Brown was speaking at the end of a two-day workshop organized by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) with civil society partner, Community for Development Organization (CEPO) for members of the revitalized transitional government of national unity in the state. .

Among the participants were members of the legislative assembly as well as leaders of organized forces.

The objective: To discuss the ways and means by which these actors can work together in a spirit of compromise to improve the lives of citizens.

“We have disseminated vital information to key state leaders on the provisions contained in the revitalized 2018 peace agreement,” said Edmond Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO.

“The goal is to ensure that parliamentarians and senior uniformed leaders have all the knowledge they need to commit to providing services and the safety of their people, as the end of the current transition period,” he added.

Participants went through this important document chapter by chapter and, in turn, they posed difficult questions to the facilitators.

For Diako Pouline, another MP, the forum served as a platform to build the unity we so badly need.

“We were encouraged to work for the good of the people, regardless of our ethnicities or political affiliations. It has inspired me to set up new programs for the youth of my constituents, which can be replicated across Western Equatoria, helping to heal some of the trauma that young people have suffered in this country,” he said. she stated.

At the end of the two-day discussion, participants signed a communiqué designed to serve as a roadmap to ushering in peace, progress and a unified approach to uplifting all communities in Western Equatoria.

Key recommendations include increased partnerships between state government and development actors; find a lasting solution to the conflict in the greater Tambura region; refrain from hate speech; as well as prioritizing the needs and rights of women, youth and children. In addition, respect for the rule of law and the use of dialogue to resolve political differences were highlighted.

“We are committed to cooperating with each other for the betterment of the communities we serve,” said Wokila Charles, Speaker of the State Parliament,

For his part, Fidelite Nitroranya, acting head of the UNMISS field office in Yambio, assured the participants of the continued support of the UN peacekeeping mission to the cause of lasting peace.

“I am confident that your participation in this event has enhanced your knowledge and provided you with entry points to help local people become more resilient and usher in development,” Ms. Nitroranya said. “UNMISS is your partner in this endeavor and will continue to support all efforts to fully implement the peace agreement.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).