South Sudan: Statement During UN Peacebuilding Commission Meeting

Thank you, Chair. Kenya welcomes this important and long overdue engagement with South Sudan on the PBC platform at the Government's request.

We echo Deputy-Secretary General Amina Mohammed's words in July 2018 when she led a delegation of solidarity for women and peace to South Sudan - "As mothers, because of the children, we will not give up. Not on peace. […]. We will not give up on looking for peace for South Sudan."

I recognise and welcome the presence and participation of high-level South Sudanese Government Officials this morning including your recommendations on South Sudan's national development and peacebuilding priorities and strategy.

We believe that a focus on this mutual interlinkage between peacebuilding and development is the most effective form of partnership and solidarity the international community can demonstrate to the hopes and expectations of the people of South Sudan.

We commend the Government and the Parties for their efforts, cooperation and positive momentum to implement the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). This is critical for consolidation of peace and national unity in the face of a myriad of political, security, environmental and economic challenges.

We are encouraged by the opportunities and potential entry points for peacebuilding and sustainable peace we have heard from our briefers today. I also welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of South Sudan in this meeting.

South Sudan is a country of great promise. We have walked with South Sudan from the days of the liberation struggle, the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement - to the independence of South Sudan.

Our strong historical and neighborly ties continue on matters pertaining to peace and development of our sub-region and regional support programmes delivered through IGAD and the East African Community.

Kenya has within our capacity and under the Technical Assistance and Cooperation Programme launched in 2007 continued to support state building and institutional building in South Sudan. The programme which has benefitted over 5,000 public servants has prioritised peacebuilding through human resource development and capacity building of government institutions with South Sudanese identified priorities.

I will highlight four specific aspects that touch on institutions of transition and governance.

First, on localised peacebuilding: We welcome the fact both the newly established Ministry of peacebuilding and the peacebuilding architecture in South Sudan centralise local priorities, encourage local ownership and local solutions. This speaks to a commitment to a long-term path to peace and development that is nationally owned.

It is important for the international community to ensure peacebuilding projects and processes reinforce a localised peacebuilding impact including ensuring there are measurable targets and proper sequencing to accompany South Sudan's benchmarks and political goals on state- and nation-building to improve the lives and livelihoods of the population.

This will also necessitate the enhancement and utilisation of the local deep ground knowledge and networks working alongside teams that have the clear endorsement of the leadership at the national and communal levels.

Second on financing and investments: Adequate, predictable and sustainable funding is essential to truly drive the implementation of critical areas including: decentralisation of public finance management and basic services delivery; resilient and inclusive governance institutions; communal reconciliation between transhumant pastoralists; and, agriculturists, mitigation against human displacement.

Third, at the core of partnership efforts should be enhanced coordination where the operational linkage between the PBC, PBF, AU, IGAD, EAC, and other financial, and development actors such as the UNDP, UNICEF, the African Development Bank and World Bank is visible and tangible.

The call to diversify South Sudan's economy and efforts to mitigate against the challenges posed by climate change in line with the 2030 Agenda and AU's Agenda 2063 will also necessitate investment in climate adaptation technologies, energy efficiency programs, and growth of the domestic economy.

Lastly, it is imperative to link the whole peace continuum during transition periods. We believe that one of the capabilities that the PBC can deliver are the building blocks to bridge the peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts in South Sudan.

This includes delivery on the three-year strategic vision for UNMISS as outlined in resolution 2567. This resolution embodies important peacebuilding elements including: building resilience, inclusive and accountable governance; and, the political and economic empowerment of South Sudanese women and youth to participate in conflict resolution, and peace and nation building efforts.

I conclude by affirming Kenya's support to an outgoing communication to the South Sudanese people in the form of a press statement. The outcome should embody proposals rooted in the Revitalised Peace Agreement, now extended for two years, and the national ownership of the country's peacebuilding journey. We believe this will aptly prepare the ground for the proposed PBC's field mission to South Sudan.

I thank you.