Mediators of the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have adjourned peace talks among the South Sudanese parties in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, according to negotiators.

IGAD is yet to make any formal announcement of the move, but representatives of three parties at the talks confirmed the development to Radio Tamazuj.

Pagan Amum, head of the negotiating team of the SPLM Former Detainees, a group of exiled senior politicians, told Radio Tamazuj that the mediators adjourned the talks to allow for further consultations with leaders of the warring parties.

He said that he expects the adjournment to last until 16 October.

The chief negotiator of the armed opposition group SPLM-IO, Taban Deng, said the negotiations were suspended after the parties failed to agree on core issues such as the powers of the proposed Prime Minister position and federalism in South Sudan.

He acknowledged they agreed on the duration of the transitional period during which the unity government will rule, which will be 30 months.

For his part, the spokesman of the government delegation Michael Makuei confirmed the talks will be halted until 16 October and the matter of the Prime Minister’s powers will be referred to a Summit of the IGAD Heads of State to discuss within the coming days.

Makuei told Radio Tamazuj that they agreed on the duration of the transitional period but not on the duration of the pre-transitional period – referring apparently to the time between the signing of an agreement and the date of its entry into force. He said the government proposed three months whereas the SPLM-IO proposed one month.

According to Pagan Amum, the peace talks have made significant progress, with negotiators showing a more positive attitude than in previous rounds. 

File photo: Members of the government delegation in June 2014