South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir has relaxed the limit on the number of SPLM-In Opposition members who can return to Juba as part of an advance team.
Previously the SPLM-IO has said over 600 individuals will return to Juba while the government has objected, saying only about 30 should come back. The non-arrival of the SPLM-IO has been a major stumbling block in moving forward with peace implementation.
Presidential spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny said Sunday the decision to relax the total number of opposition delegates allowed back to Juba was made in a meeting of Kiir and the state governors on Wednesday.
“In the interest of peace, harmony and stability of the country, the leadership meeting resolved on Wednesday to commend the leadership of President Salva Kiir Mayardit and approved the coming of the advance team of the SPLM-IO,” Ateny said. “The president subsequently directed the state governors, members of parliament at both level of state and at the national legislative assembly to work together with state governors, county commissioners, local authorities, traditional leaders and different groups in the country to enlighten the citizens of the importance of implementing peace and to prepare for reception of the advance team of the SPLM-IO.”
Ateny said the delay of the coming of the SPLM-IO advance team is no longer connected to the government’s previous issues with the size of the team but on the logistical arrangements by the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), which is overseeing peace implementation, as well as IGAD and the United Nations.
The spokesperson said he hopes the advance team of the SPLM-IO would return soon to the country to participate in the next JMEC meeting and to start work on other mechanisms required for implementation of the peace agreement.
Ateny did not say the exact date when the advance team of the SPLM-IO would return to Juba.