The minister of Information, Communication, Telecommunication and postal services, Michael Makuei has revealed that the government is likely to deploy the Unified forces this month.
Makuei told reporters on Friday after the Council of Ministers regular meeting that the necessary preparations are being undertaken.
“At present, we have already passed a budget for the deployment of the forces who have already graduated so that they vacate the training center,” Makuei said.
After 9 months since the first batch of Unified Forces was graduated in August 2022, Makuei contemplates on government deploying the forces before the end of this month.
“…probably within this month that these forces will be removed from the training centers and be deployed to their various areas,” He stated.
According to the 2018 peace deal, the rivals are to canton, unify, train; graduate and deploy 83,000 national unified forces in two phases.
About 50,000 of the first batch of the Unified Forces was graduated in August 2022 but their continuous stay in the centers without deployment has hindered the enrollment of the second batch.
Makuei who is the government spokesperson said that it’s after the first batch is deployed that the second batch will enter the training centers.
“The new phase two of our unified forces will go to the training centers by the end of this month for the implementation of chapter two of the agreement as agreed upon,” Makuei underscored.
Last month, the cabinet approved 3.6 billion South Sudanese Pounds for the deployment of the unified forces. The money is meant to buy foods and the necessary requirement for the deployment such as tents.
The National Transitional Committee (NTC) has presented an estimated SSP 90 billion budget for training of phase two of the unified forces. The government is yet to respond on the budget for the training of phase two
