South Sudan parties in talks to end security stalemate

South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar, center-left with back to camera, shakes hands with South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, center-right wearing a black hat, after lengthy peace negotiations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Aug. 17, 2015 (AFP)

South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his First Vice President Riek Machar are holding discussions to end the deadlock over the security arrangements, a senior official said here.

Bol Makueng, secretary for external affairs of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) led by President Kiir, said the two principals are already consulting each other on how to move forward on peace implementation, reports Xinhua news agency.

“We will be communicating among ourselves because this country belongs to all of us, the First Vice President is promising that they will work hand-in-hand with President Kiir, so that they avoid taking this country back to war again,” Makueng told journalists after meeting envoys for the US, Norway, and the UK in Juba.

On March 22, the main-opposition SPLM/A-In Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) under Machar withdrew from the security mechanisms, citing “unprovoked” attacks on its positions by South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF).

The SPLM/A-IO also rejected the three positions within the army and police provided to it by President Kiir.

The opposition wants a 50:50 ratio within the unified army command it claims was agreed upon by the parties during peace talks in Khartoum in 2018.

“We have come to the conclusion to do things that are pending in the agreement, some of the challenges pertaining to security arrangements, especially the unification of forces and that is already near finishing,” said Makueng.

He also noted that one of the main challenges they are facing is the fact that SPLM/A-IO has a huge number of senior ranking officers than private officers, thus making it difficult to quickly integrate them into the unified armed forces.

Kuol Atem, the SPLM secretary for political affairs, corroborated Makueng, saying that the various parties to the 2018 revitalised peace deal are consulting each other on how to conclude the outstanding issues, mainly the security arrangements.

“The President and the First Vice President are in consultation, the president decreed the unification of (army) command which was rejected, but that will be resolved and the command will be one,” said Atem.

The transitional period is set to end in February 2023, and yet several critical tasks including the graduation of the unified forces, the enactment of the permanent constitution and the establishment of transitional justice mechanism are yet to be implemented.