Consultative meetings between South Sudan’s government, SPLM-G10, and SPLM-In Opposition rebels mediated by the East African regional organization IGAD are still ongoing in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, SPLM-IO deputy head of information and public relations Manawa Peter Gatkuoth said the meeting which brought together the three SPLM factions in an attempt to push for peace in South Sudan would continue on Wednesday.
“The consultations would continue today also with us and the other two delegations at 3:00 pm. Maybe there would be new issues to be discussed,” he said.
The rebel spokesman said the SPLM ‘former detainees’ faction (SPLM-G10) delegation is headed by Pagan Amum.
Manawa said the IGAD mediators engaged each group involved in the process in a separate consultative meeting. He confirmed that the consultation resolved to open a new round of talks mediated by the ‘IGAD-plus’ after an extraordinary African Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa in mid-June.
The ‘IGAD-plus’ incorporates select countries from all the five regions of the continent in a new structure that will also see the African Union, the UN, the Troika (UK, US, Norway) and China actively participate in the negotiations.