An SPLM Political Bureau meeting is ongoing behind closed doors at State House in Juba to discuss reservations about the IGAD-brokered peace agreement. The IGAD leaders have arrived in Juba. It is not clear if the IGAD leaders are also attending the SPLM meeting.
Meanwhile ministers, journalists, UNMISS leaders are converging in Freedom Hall where the peace deal is supposed to be signed. Riek Machar and Pagan Amum on behalf of a group of former political detainees, signed the deal on the 17th of August.
Ellen Margrethe Løj, head of UNMISS and special representative of the United National secretary general has arrived in Freedom Hall. During an earlier special briefing to the security council, she urged an immediate end to the hostilities in South Sudan amid ‘precipitous’ worsening of the situation. She said the UN welcomes the signing of the agreement by the Government and she reiterated her call to the leaders of South Sudan to place the interests of their people above their personal ambitions and to implement the peace agreement in good faith.
According to Joy Ogwu, the UN Security Council president and former Nigerian ambassador, the UN Security Council will ‘take immediate action’ if South Sudan’s president fails to sign or if he sign with reservations.
Photo: Ellen Margrethe Løj by Immanuel Igunza Twitter