The government of India has expressed its readiness to assist South Sudan in the formulation of a new and permanent constitution as the country east african nation readies for the 2024 general elections.
Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba told the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly that this was part of the discussion she had during her visit to India.
According to Nunu, the purpose of the trip was to strengthen bilateral relations between the two parliaments.
“India is the mother of democracy, is how it is considered in the world. There are a lot of things that they can help us with,” Nunu told Parliament.
“They even want to help us as we embark on the development of the new constitution because they are one of the oldest democracies,” added the speaker.
Chapter Six of the revitalized peace deal lays out the foundations of the permanent constitution.
The Reconstituted Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) is mandated by the peace deal to oversee the formulation of a permanent constitutional-making process based on the principles of the supremacy of the South Sudanese people, a federal and democratic system of government, good governance, constitutionalism, rule of law, respect for human rights, gender equity, affirmative action, as well as peace and stability.
The reconstituted TNLA successfully passed legislation to regulate the constitution-making process.
According to the agreement, lessons learned from South Sudan’s common law, constitutional history, and experience will be applied when drafting the permanent constitution.
The South Sudanese will also own and lead the process through the mechanisms outlined in the agreement.
The agreement further states that the RTGoNU and the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC) shall enlist the aid of regional and international experts in order to get access to their experience, knowledge, and best practices in order to aid in the constitution-making process.
