The South Sudan Tumaini Peace talks Deputy Chief Mediator, Mohamed Ali Guyo, has commended the parties for reaching an agreement on a comprehensive agenda for future discussions.
Addressing journalists after the meeting on Tuesday in Nairobi, Guyo hailed the progress made by the government, the opposition parties and the other stockholders.
“The government, the opposition, and stakeholders made significant progress. This clearly shows a good day for mediation,” Guyo stated.
He explained that the agreed-upon agenda consists of four key items:
“Clarification of the negotiating parties by defining the names and roles of all involved parties, addressing the root causes of the conflict by identifying and tackling the fundamental issues fueling instability in South Sudan as well as the relationship between Araxis and Tumaini, focusing on reputation, implementation mechanisms, and the broader impact of previous peace efforts and the responsibility sharing; outlining the distribution of power and responsibilities among different factions,”
“Tomorrow (Wednesday), we expect the parties to begin discussions on the first agenda item, which is clarity on the negotiating parties. This will be the first issue tackled in the morning, and we hope to reach a consensus before progressing to the root causes of the conflict,” he stated.
Guyo emphasized the importance of setting the right foundation for the discussions.
“First, the mediation had to address housekeeping issues, providing context and background on the Tumaini process before, during, and after its implementation. Understanding the history of the conflict and previous peace efforts is crucial to ensuring all parties are on the same page as we move forward,” he explained.
The peace talks in Nairobi are expected to continue, with the mediators hopeful that the agreed framework will lead to a progress toward lasting peace in South Sudan.