South Sudan’s armed opposition group led by the Former First-Vice President Riek Machar on Tuesday received an invitation from the chairperson of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Hailemariam Dessalegn, to attend the revitalization forum.

The invitation to attend the event, scheduled for December 18, was send to the armed opposition group by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister.

Pouk Both Baluang, the SPLM-IO’s director for information and public relations, told Radio Tamazuj that they had received the invitation but they have not selected their representatives to attend the meeting.

“Your Excellency, You may recall that the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government at its 31st Extra -Ordinary Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 12 June 2017, decided to urgently convene a High –Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) of the Parties to the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS), including estranged groups,” partly reads the letter signed by Ethiopia’s prime minister.

According to the letter dated 8 December and addressed to Riek Machar, the forum considers inclusive implementation of the peace agreement and revision of realistic timelines and implementation schedules towards democratic elections at the end of the transitional period.

The letter further said the High-Level revitalization forum will kick off in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 18-22 December after the extraordinary session of the IGAD council of ministers due to take place from15-16 December.

“Your Excellency, all participants to the HLRF will be representing their respective parties. Hence, I wish to kindly request you to delegate three (03) duly- authorized representatives of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-in opposition (SPLM-IO) who will participate in the forum. In this regard, I recommend that at least one of the delegates could be a woman,” reads the letter.

The chairperson of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) said that he was optimistic the armed group will seize this historic opportunity to engage earnestly to revitalize the peace process, cease all forms of hostilities, end the conflicts and re-establish a firm foundation to building sustainable peace, stability and democracy in South Sudan.