Festus Mogae, the head of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), which is tasked with overseeing implementation of South Sudan's peace agreement, said the commission's first meeting will take place tomorrow even if some parties do not show up.

Mogae, the former president of Botswana, said he expects the government, SPLM-In Opposition, Former Detainees, political parties, and other groups all to participate in Juba. He said the IO and the former detainees were provided with air tickets and told him yesterday that they would attend.

However, Mogae said he did not know if members of the opposition arrived in Juba yet, adding that rebel leader Riek Machar had expressed previous concern over the safety of his representatives if they visited the capital.

"We are going ahead because peace process is going ahead," he stressed.

Addressing the press in Juba after visiting Bor, Jonglei state, Mogae said he met local officials, the Monitoring and Verification Team (MVT) responsible for monitoring violations of the ceasefire, and representatives of humanitarian agencies and the United Nations.

“I call on the parties to the agreement to intensify their efforts to start the processes of reconciliation and reconstruction, for all the people of South Sudan, regardless of their ethnic origin or political orientation," he said. "The agreement offers the way forward for a peaceful South Sudan."

Mogae said the implementation of the peace process has been slow, but claimed the two parties remain committed to the process. He said his own office is not fully staffed and there is a lack of funds for implementation.

Former Detainees to attend meeting

Separately, South Sudan's former Justice Minister John Luk, a member of the Former Detainees, told Radio Tamazuj that they will come to Juba to participate in Friday's JMEC meeting. However, Luk pointed out that the SPLM-G10 leader Pagan Amum will not be in attendance.

Luk pointed out that the formation of a transitional government of national unity was overdue due to incomplete arrangements. He said those arrangements are supposed to be completed before the pre-transitional period ends today.

For his part, South Sudan's Minister of Information and Broadcasting Michael Makuei confirmed that JMEC meetings will kick off on Friday.

The government spokesman said that Mogae had met with President Salva Kiir in Juba where they discussed the inaugurating of the JMEC office.

Head of the SPLM-IO peace implementation and monitoring committee Dhieu Mathok said they reject any meeting or consultations on the peace agreement before their advance team arrives in Juba.

Machar's spokesperson James Gatdet Dak said SPLM-IO representatives will not participate in the meeting due to President Kiir's order to create 28 states, as well as security concerns over reports of new fighting in Mundri, Western Equatoria state.

Radio Tamazuj photo: Former Botswana President Festus Mogae