Governors of South Sudan’s greater Bahr el Ghazal region on Saturday concluded a two-day forum in Wau State.
The event, attended by state governors and several senior government officials in Wau town, discussed ways of resolving all the outstanding issues in the peace deal.
Addressing the gathering, Wau State Governor Angelo Taban Biajo said they voice support for reconciliation, unity and nationwide peace to end years of conflict.
“We strongly confirm our commitment to the full implementation of the revitalize peace agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan in letter and spirit,” he said.
The state official stressed that the people of Bahr el Ghazal demand for creation of new states in addition to the existing ones, saying the disputed Abyei area deserves to be a state.
“Raja has to be separated from Lol State and Abyei has to be a state. Also, Tonj state can be divided into two states,” he said.
Angelo urged the international community to support the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.
Meanwhile, Lol State Governor Rizig Zachariah Hassan said the governors’ forum came at the right time for the people of Bahr el Ghazal to discuss challenges facing them.
“Since the creation of 32 states, we never had a forum to discuss our issues,” he said.
William Wol Mayom, the information minister in Tonj State, told Radio Tamazuj that the forum focused on the region’s position on the number of states and boundaries.
“The forum calls for creation of more states within the greater Bahr el Ghazal region. Also, the forum agreed to carry out a disarmament exercise and discussed issues of development in the region,” he said.
The state minister further said they agreed to remove illegal roadblocks in the region.
The Bahr el Ghazal is a historical region of northwestern South Sudan. It comprises of Wau, Lol, Aweil East, Aweil, Gok, Western Lakes, Eastern Lakes, Tonj, Gogrial, Twic states.