The Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has invited civil society delegates to attend the meeting scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa on Wednesday.

This came after civil society activists in Juba called on the regional bloc to invite them to attend the meeting of the parties to the peace agreement on progress and challenges of implementing the peace deal.

“I write to invite you to a consultation meeting of the Parties to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (RARCSS) on progress and challenges in the implementation of outstanding critical pre-transitional tasks that is scheduled to be held on 21st August 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,” partly reads a letter from IGAD’s Special Envoy for South Sudan, Ismail Wais.

In a press statement this morning, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmund Yakani appreciated the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan for extending an invitation to civil society delegates to participate in the meeting on Wednesday.

He pointed out that the participation of civil society representatives in the consultative meeting is necessary. However, Yakani called on the regional bloc to give opportunities for media outlets in the country to cover the meeting.

In May, South Sudan’s rival leaders extended the formation of the unity government to November to implement key provisions such as creating a unified army and determining the number of states and their boundaries.