South Sudan's rival leaders have been invited by the East African bloc IGAD to meet in Ethiopia's capital next week, according to a letter seen Friday by Radio Tamazuj.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) extended the invitation on Wednesday to President Salva Kiir, opposition leader Riek Machar and other opposition officials.
The regional bloc urges the rival leaders to attend the May 2-3 meeting in Addis Ababa to discuss the implementation of the revitalized peace deal and the way forward.
The peace accord, signed in September 2018, has been met with missed deadlines due to lack of funds. The parties are expected to form a unity government by May 12.
However, opposition chief Riek Machar, who should regain his post as first vice president under the peace deal, said the government and the opposition needed another six months before forming a unity government.
Puok Both Baluang, the SPLM-IO's director for information, confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that they had received IGAD's invitation.
He further said Machar will participate in the meeting in Addis Ababa next week. “The meeting aims at evaluating the peace agreement and the way forward because key provisions of the peace agreement have not been implemented,” he said.
He stressed that the upcoming meeting needs to focus on plans that will lead to proper security arrangements before the formation of the transitional government.
The opposition official said his group will not take part in the transitional government should the deadline for its formation not be extended.
Kiir last weekend invited Machar to return to Juba ahead of the formation of an interim government on May 12.