On Tuesday, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune addressed the virtual summit of the African Union High-Level Committee of Five on South Sudan.
President Tebboune renewed His word, Algeria calls on all parties in South Sudan to stop all hostilities throughout the country.
The President said, “Algeria’s commitment to South Sudan is a principled and firm commitment, which has been practically embodied in many places.” Emphasizing its full solidarity with this brotherly country in its endeavor to complete the building of its institutions.
On the other hand, the Algerian President urged the African Union countries and international partners to fulfill their pledges and make tangible contributions to finance the electoral process in the country before next October.
He also called on the international community to “intensify urgent humanitarian support to the affected populations and ensure safe and unhindered access to aid.”
At the beginning of my speech, I have the honor to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to His Excellency the President of the sisterly Republic of South Africa for his wise leadership of the work of our esteemed Committee (C5), and for his initiative to hold this summit in this critical and delicate circumstance that this brotherly country is going through, as it approaches the important presidential election, which is only three (03) months away.
I also do not fail to renew, on behalf of the government and people of Algeria, my sincere condolences and sincere sympathy to the government and people of the brotherly Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, following the treacherous ambush that targeted members of the United Nations peacekeeping forces on August 24, and we also renew our strong condemnation of this cowardly attack.
Your Excellencies and Excellencies,
South Sudan is on the verge of a turning point with the approaching electoral process, the completion of which will represent a defining moment in the history of this country. These elections, which the people of South Sudan are eagerly awaiting, face chronic and real challenges, with the danger of calling into question the gains achieved in recent years.
Despite the intensive efforts made this year by the African Union, which we highly commend, and the firm commitment of the transitional authorities to move forward with the electoral process, which witnessed some progress, including the registration of political parties and making technical amendments to two provisions of the revitalized peace agreement, the situation on the ground remains a cause for concern at all levels: political and security. And humanity. The state of political stalemate between the signatories to the revitalized peace agreement has a profound impact on the entire transitional process, and on the future of the agreement itself. It is self-evident that without resources, without political consensus, and without lasting peace, the situation remains dangerous.
Our duty today is to support this brotherly country in moving forward in this process aimed at ending the long-standing internal crisis, through a clear assessment of its current situation and determining the urgent measures that we must take.
Hence, based on our firm conviction that the revitalized agreement to settle the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan remains the legitimate political framework capable of overcoming the current crisis, and that the South Sudanese people alone are the decision-makers in determining their future.
From this standpoint, Algeria:
First, it calls on all parties signatory to the revitalized agreement to actively and positively engage in a comprehensive and constructive political dialogue, in which the supreme national interest takes precedence over circumstantial calculations.
In this context, we highly value the initiative presented by the sister Republic of South Africa, in its capacity as Chairman of the C5, to host a political dialogue between the signatory parties to the revitalized agreement, which we consider to be a very important step.
Secondly, it calls on all parties to engage in calm processes, stop all hostilities throughout the country, address security challenges, and unify forces.
Thirdly, my country calls on the transitional authorities to expedite the provision of the necessary national funding for electoral institutions, and to publish a realistic and consensual electoral road map that reassures all political actors and the South Sudanese people alike.
Fourth, Algeria urges the member states of the African Union and international partners to be responsible, fulfill their pledges, and make tangible contributions to fill the financial deficit in the electoral process, before next October, as called for by the Peace and Security Council in its recent statement.
Fifthly and finally, it calls on the international community to intensify urgent humanitarian support to the affected populations, and to ensure safe and unhindered access to aid.
Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
Algeria’s commitment to South Sudan is not a spur of the moment. Rather, it is a principled and firm commitment that has been practically embodied in many places. As we renew, from this platform, Algeria’s full solidarity with this brotherly country in its endeavor to complete the building of its institutions, my country affirms its readiness to provide all necessary logistical and technical support to accompany the South Sudanese authorities and electoral bodies at this crucial stage.
In conclusion, we call on this esteemed summit to send a strong and unified African message, expressing our full solidarity with the South Sudanese people, and affirming our collective commitment to accompany them until they reach peace and stability.
South Sudan’s success in establishing security is a success for all of Africa, and our collective responsibility requires us to stand united alongside our brothers in this delicate circumstance.
