(Update 16.26) The South Sudanese government decided to sign the IGAD peace deal during a Mini-Summit in Juba. The office of the Special Envoys for South Sudan (OSESS) informed the AU mission of this decision through a letter, saying the government ‘is expected to sign the proposed agreement, in the interest of peace’.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj this afternoon, Ateny Wek, spokesperson of the president said that is was agreed during the meeting yesterday to sign the agreement despite reservations on the demilitarization of Juba, the powers of the evaluation and monitoring commission touching sovereignty and power sharing in Upper Nile State.
“It was agreed that President Salva Kiir will sign the peace agreement proposed by IGAD-Plus”, according to Ateny.
Ateny further said the peace agreement will be signed in Juba in the presence of Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Sudan’s Omar Al Bashir, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and the Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn. The IGAD secretariat requested delegations of the IGAD Plus Members to travel to Juba to witness and attend the peace deal signing.
Last week, president Salva Kiir declined to sign on the deadline of August 17th. His opponent Riek Machar and Pagan Amum on behalf of a group of former political detainees, signed the deal. Kiir requested an additional 15 days to consult on the deal.
On Monday, the South Sudanese cabinet discussed the peace proposal. South Sudan’s cabinet minister hinted that president Kiir is seriously considering signing. In a press statement following an expanded cabinet meeting Monday in Juba, Cabinet Minister Martin Elia Lomuro said peace is paramount in South Sudan.
He also said the meeting focused on specific reservation points in the agreement, including security issues and power-sharing arrangements in Upper Nile state. Earlier following the meeting the minister said that further discussion on those points was still needed before Kiir would sign and predicted a final decision will be reached during the next cabinet meeting, not giving a date.