By Brig. Gen. Tarig Abdelkarim
Excellency,
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning,
Introduction
Nov 29, 2015(Nyamilepedia) —— I am Brig. Gen. Tarig Abdelkarim, the Deputy Chairman at the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) and I will be opening this training workshop for CTSAMM personnel. Major General Molla Hailemariam, the CTSAMM Chairman, unfortunately cannot be here because of pressing engagements.
As you know the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) is responsible for monitoring compliance, investigating and reporting directly to the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) as well as reporting on the progress of the implementation of the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements (PCTSA). Its tasks are specified in Chapter 2 of Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (the Peace Agreement).
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This training workshop is a follow-up to the 2016 MVT Team Leaders’ Conference which convened at the Panorama Plaza Hotel in Juba on 24 August 2016. As you know we are in a very critical situation. The implementation of the Peace Agreement is critical. For us to have this training workshop is important. The workshop will help us to know what issues we are facing and will teach us how to better manage those issues. The workshop will greatly assist us with implementation activities and will prepare us for future tasks for 2017. It will create a common ground for all of us and a fundamental understanding of the critical tasks which lie ahead. We will have the requisite training to implement any proposal or any job given to CTSAMM. The time dedicated to this workshop will allow us a conducive and cooperative environment to proceed.
I previously mentioned Chapter 2 of the Peace Agreement. The purpose of this training workshop is to get a deeper understanding of the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements (PCTSA) Agreement outlined in Chapter 2 of the Peace Agreement of August 2015. To achieve this purpose, we have developed the following objectives for the workshop:
- Enhance our understanding of Monitoring and Verification Tasks under the Peace Agreement which includes capacity building;
- Obtain a greater understanding of the PCTSA by gaining greater awareness of the CTSAMM mandate as outlined in the PCTSA;
- Gain a deeper understanding of who the key stakeholders are for CTSAMM and their relationship to CTSAMM monitoring and verification activities; and
- Gain an appreciation and fundamental understanding of conflict mitigation and how CTSAMM can use conflict mitigation in its operations.
This workshop is divided into four days with four modules covering topics related to the above objectives and an additional module for thematic group discussions and recommendations. The topics include the following:
- What and how does CTSAMM monitor;
- Improving the monitoring and verification of Protection of Civilians (POC) and Humanitarian Assistance (HA)
- Promoting CTSAMM’s messages and image as part of strategic communications;
- Conducting investigations;
- Reporting and Analysis;
- The Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and Chapter 2 of the Peace Agreement;
- Developments regarding cantonment;
- Monitoring gender based violence;
- Stakeholder perspective and management for CTSAMM;
- The current political situation; and
- Conflict mitigation and management.
In conclusion, CTSAMM remains critical to the peace process in this lovely country. Despite all the challenges, we are still functioning and through this workshop we will be better equipped to perform our future missions. Thank you for your time and attention throughout this workshop. Before proceeding to the agenda, I want to mention the critical support that CTSAMM receives from its donors.
The CTSAMM as many of you know is generously supported by IGAD Member States, the IGAD Partners Forum, as well as through financial and in-kind contributions from the US, UK, EU, China, Denmark, Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Norway and Germany. The recent support from our German partner was particularly critical coming at a time when CTSAMM was starved of funding and near the brink of collapse.
You are most welcome at this workshop. We can now attend to the agenda. Thank you very much!
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