The faction of South Sudan's SPLM known as the 'Former Detainees', formerly the Group of Ten, say they welcome steps toward creation of a power-sharing government in South Sudan.

SPLM-FD will take two ministerial positions in the new government, including the foreign ministry and the ministry of transport, according to an understanding reached in January.

In a press statement yesterday, the spokesman of the SPLM-FD John Luk welcomed the recent communique of the East African bloc IGAD, which called for the speedy formation of the transitional government prior to the resolution of an impasse over the question of 28 states.

Luk, who is also the group's nominee for minister of transport, thinks that the formation of the power-sharing government will help build trust and confidence among the parties.

“It is our hope that the Parties to the Agreement will take seriously the recommendations contained in the [IGAD] Communique, and agree to expeditiously establish the Transitional Government of National Unity and to subsequently engage positively on the issue of the twenty-eight states,” he said.

The former minister also called on the citizens to stand behind implementation of the peace agreement and work for reconciliation among themselves.

File photo: Former cabinet minister Deng Alor Kuol