South Sudan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Peter Bashir Gbandi, said the government and armed opposition failed to reach a final agreement on security arrangements and a permanent ceasefire at a workshop in Addis Ababa between military commanders of the two sides.
In a briefing to parliamentarians Tuesday, Gbandi said the two sides discussed the agenda and that his government made concessions. He said they agreed on six points during the workshop but disagreed on seven others.
The official further said the two sides disagreed on a joint police force and security arrangements in South Sudan’s capital.
He noted that the two parties agreed on disengagement between government forces and armed opposition fighters besides the identification of cantonment sites of troops in the Upper Nile region.
The deputy minister pointed out they disagreed when the armed opposition demanded expulsion of all regular forces from Juba, while the government refused to do so.
Gbandi revealed that they signed a document with SPLM-G10, while the SPLM-IO refused to sign.