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JUBA - 6 Sep 2019

Government says it's satisfied with peace implementation

File photo: Information Minister Michael Makuei
File photo: Information Minister Michael Makuei

South Sudanese government said it is satisfied with the implementation of the September 2018 peace agreement, despite unmet deadlines.

President Salva Kiir, opposition leader Riek Machar and a handful of other opposition groups signed the peace deal. The rival leaders had been unable to create a unified army and determine the number of states since the deal had been signed.

Two weeks ago, the parties to the peace deal resolved that at least 50% of the 83,000 necessary unified forces should be trained and deployed before the end of September.

"We want to assure the people of South Sudan that the implementation of the peace agreement is moving very well. All the cantonment sites are established and the screening in the cantonment sites has already started, so by the 12th of November the R-TGoNU will be established," Information Minister Michael Makuei said.

Makuei, who was speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting in Juba on Friday, said the cabinet is satisfied with the implementation of the peace deal after it listened to reports presented by Cabinet Affairs Minister, Martin Elia Lomuro.

“The cabinet listened to two reports from the minister of cabinet affairs, Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro. These two reports were progress reports on the implementation of the peace agreement...After thorough deliberations, the cabinet was satisfied with the implementation of the agreement and satisfied with the communiqué issued by the IGAD and the parties to the peace agreement,” he said.

“The cabinet also calls upon the signatories of the agreement who decided to hold meetings in The Hague to come and join the peace process instead of continuing to cause unnecessary havoc and suffering to the people of South Sudan. The government still calls upon them to abandon these plans which they are following so that they come and join the peace process so that we can work together for the interest of the people of South Sudan,” he added.

On 30 August, a group of South Sudanese opposition movements resolved to unite with the objective of achieving a “just and genuine” peace in the country.

The meetings, which were held in the Netherlands, were attended by South Sudan National Democratic Alliance (SSNDA), the South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) and the Real Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (R- SPLM).

The new opposition coalition said it agreed to form a three-member leadership council tasked to effectively engage the international community on peace issues including lobbying for diplomatic support.