Peace negotiations among the South Sudanese warring factions SPLM-Juba and SPLM-IO are expected to resume today after the chief mediator of the East African Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Seyoum Mesfin invited the parties involved at the talks.
Michael Makuei Lueth, the South Sudanese information minister and spokesman of the government, says they have been notified officially about the resumption of the negotiations with Riek Machar’s opposition group in Addis Ababa.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Sunday, Makuei said they are ready to discuss all outstanding issues so that they can be approached in a scheduled meeting between Salva Kiir and Riek Machar on 27 January. He added that resolutions of the Salva-Machar meeting will be tabled before the upcoming IGAD summit.
“The invitation was given to the chief negotiator and other two members of the peace delegation at talks,” he said.
Makuei disclosed that the this rounds of talks will discuss security arrangements only, while describing the Addis Ababa peace talks and Arusha Agreement as two faces of one coin. He pointed out that distribution of power will be an internal issue within the SPLM party after the Arusha Agreement has been reached.
Meanwhile, SPLM-IO deputy head of information and public relations Manawa Peter Gatkuoth told Radio Tamazuj yesterday that they have received the invitation for the resumption of talks on Monday. Gatkuoth described the previous rounds of talks as “unsuccessful”, saying the views of the two warring parties were too far apart from reaching an agreement.
However, the rebel official expressed optimism about the Arusha Agreement in reaching a breakthough on all outstanding issues at the Addis Ababa peace talks.
He dismissed Makuei’s statement that this round of talks will address security arrangements only.
Manawa, who is also the rebel spokesman, revealed that the talks will discuss different topics including systems of governance and federalism.
For his part, the Chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement for Democratic Change (SPLM-DC) Lam Akol said they have not been invited to the peace talks.
Akol has accused the Juba government of preventing the Political Parties Leadership Forum (PPLF) from leaving South Sudan to participate in the peace talks.
He added that any peace agreement reached by the warring parties without the participation of the political parties will not be permanent.