No real progress has been made on governance and power sharing during the intra-South Sudanese negotiations, the Council of Churches said.

Justin Badi Arama, Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, said in a statement from the venue of the peace talks in Addis Ababa on Monday evening that the issue of governance remained a major sticking point.

However, the religious leader said the warring parties agreed in principle to form an inclusive government based on a presidential system.

 “As from now onward, IGAD will take over and assist them on how to distribute the percentage and the structure of the government, so that will be the responsibility of IGAD,” Arama said.

Bishop Arama, who facilitated the intra-South Sudanese talks since last week, said they have submitted their final report to the regional mediation today.

“We also told IGAD that on governance and other areas of security, we have not made much progress. But we have also given them the areas of progress,” he said.

“It is now the IGAD to see the way forward on the areas that are difficult. I think they will do that from tomorrow (Tuesday) onward,” he added.   

The religious leader further said the warring parties have recommitted themselves to silence the guns across the country.