South Sudanese president Salva Kiir is not the problem with the implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement, a government official said.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday, Presidential Affairs minister, Barnaba Marial Benjamin blamed the slow implementation of the peace deal on the economic situation and “reluctance” by key members of international community to support the implementation of key provisions of the peace accord.

“Let me tell you that the president is not the problem. He (Kiir) is for peace and for the full implementation of this peace agreement”, he explained.

Marial called for patience and support to enable the full implementation of the agreement.

The minister’s comments come after a civil society activist representing the Civil Society Forum (SSCSF) in the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC) resigned.

Rajab Mohandas said he quit because resolutions of the peace monitoring body tasked to oversee the implementation of the peace agreement are not being implemented, were never honored.

“This letter is to inform you and the membership of SSCSF of my intention to resign from my position and responsibilities as the representative of SSCSF in RJMEC effective September 12, 2021, the occasion of the third anniversary of the signing of the R-ARCSS,” Mohandas said in his resignation letter.

“…my resignation comes after careful evaluation of the status of implementation of the R-ARCSS and drawing a conclusion that maintaining support for the stalled Juba-centric peace process is no longer in the best interest of the suffering masses in the country and in the refugee settlements,” he added.

Mohandas said Kiir and the First Vice President in the coalition government Riek Machar are not showing interest in the implementation of the peace agreement.

“Those mandated by Article 1.1.1 of the R-ARCSS to implement the peace agreement have lost confidence in the peace process. While launching the Workshop on the Constitution Making Process on July 25, 2021, the President publicly declared that the peace agreement is too complicated to be implemented, and that those who designed the agreement did not intend that it would be implemented,” he stressed.