Government and holdout opposition groups, as well as the mediators, pose in a group photo at the start of the peace talks. | File Photo |.
South Sudan’s economist, Mathiang Alier Deng, said it is arguably clear that the peace talks between South Sudan’s transitional government of national unity and the holdout opposition groups that transformed into the “United Political Alliance” (UPA) are at the edge of the cliff and may collapse if the parties continue prioritizing political gains over the suffering of their people.
Kenya mediated—Tumaini Peace Initiative—is facing strategic challenges as the parties find it hard to agree on the key fundamental points in the plain agenda approved a few weeks ago by both the government and the holdout groups.
Alier criticized the government delegation and the opposition groups for allegedly showing no signal curiosity to address and negotiate genuinely to reach the much-needed peace agreement to prepare the nation for free, fair, and credible elections at the end of the transitional period.
“The parties to the conflict are only interested in the talks that serve their political interests,” Alier asserted. “What is making it difficult for the parties to settle their differences urgently to restore peace and stability in the country? I would rather encourage the government and parties under the UPA to meet their promises and sign a durable peace agreement now and not tomorrow.”
The initial points on top of the agenda were: discussing the root causes of the 2013 conflict, power-sharing arrangements, and merging the eight protocols to the 2018 revitalised peace agreement.
Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro said the government negotiators requested the mediation team to adjourn the talks to allow the parties to consult further with their senior cadres in Juba.
But, the Spokesperson of the United People’s Alliance (UPA), Lual Dau, said the action of the government delegation demonstrates the lack of political will to reach a peace agreement to restore peace and stability in South Sudan.
“The leadership of the UPA would like to inform its supporters, citizens, regional and international community that unfortunately, the government of South Sudan has decided to walk out once again from the Tumaini Initiative,” Dau said in Nairobi, Kenya following the abrupt call-off of the peace talks.
“The government delegation’s negative, obstructive and anti-Tumaini behavior reflects that achieving peace is not their priority. It also demonstrates their aloofness to the suffering of our people and their inability to comprehend what is needed to rescue the country from imminent collapse and total disintegration,” Dau added.
The adjournment of the talks came at a time when South Sudan is confronting significant challenges, including 9 million people requiring humanitarian aid, 7.5 million experiencing food insecurity, and an influx of over 1 million returnees and refugees fleeing violence in neighbouring Sudan.
Lazaro Sumbeiywo, the chief negotiator, said there were three priority areas of critical importance necessary to ending the perpetual transition in South Sudan.
He said the unification of forces and security sector reforms, the permanent constitution-making process, and the holding of free, fair, credible, and transparent elections are the three key points that could help end conflict in the country.
“Given the acute human insecurity and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, the mediation believes that actions must be taken for there to be effective mechanisms of implementation,” Sumbeiywo said in a communique issued in Nairobi.
