South Sudan's Transitional Government of National Unity has resolved to approach the commander controlling the west bank of the Nile in Upper Nile State, Johnson Olony, to ask that he allow river traffic from Renk southward.

SPLM-IO, one of the partes to the peace agreement, has been tasked to approach him about the matter, according to remarks made by the Minister of Information after a cabinet meeting today.

Olony is a commander who defected from the government last year and aligned himself to the SPLM-IO. His forces composed of mostly ethnic Shilluk control most of the Shilluk territory in Upper Nile.

The cabinet in Juba has resolved today that opening the Nile is a measure that needs to be taken to improve the economic situation, Minister of Information Michael Makuei said today.

“The discussion centered around how best can this economic situation be addressed. And the immediate action that needs to be taken is one, to open up the river route from Renk so that the food which is in Renk is transported to Juba,” he said.

“Last week or the week before it was also discussed and the leadership of the SPLM/A-IO promised to direct Commander Olony to open the route. So up to now it is not yet confirmed. But the route will be opened soon so that the food can flow from Renk to this direction instead of people waiting for the unknown,” Makuei added.