Upper Nile’s regional dialogue postponed until May

Photo: Angelo Beda

The regional dialogue conference initially planned for March in Upper Nile region has been postponed and will likely be held in May, the dialogue committee co-chair said Friday.

The regional dialogue conference initially planned for March in Upper Nile region has been postponed and will likely be held in May, the dialogue committee co-chair said Friday.

Angelo Beda told Radio Tamazuj that lack of access to areas controlled by the opposition groups prompted the conference postponement.

"The conference is postponed to May 6-12 in Malakal," said Beda.

He, however, said members of the national dialogue committee were in consultations with the opposition to ensure they participate in the May symposium.

“The participants in the national dialogue conference will be based on the old 10 states that include Jonglei, Upper Nile and Unity states,” said Beda.

He added, “The committee is working with the opposition to send a representative from each county according to the three old states”.

The conference in Upper Nile region was earmarked for end of March.

In late February, opposition groups boycotted the regional conference in Bahr el Ghazal conference, where citizens demanded for a federal system of government and allocation of land ownership to the government.

In December 2016, South Sudan President Salva Kiir launched the national dialogue initiative that seeks to reconcile and unite the East African nation torn apart by more than five years of civil war.