Tanzania: Kikwete to Grace Resumption of S. Sudan Peace Talks

Arusha — PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete is expected to partake in the South Sudan peace talks that resume on January 15, this year in Arusha.

The ongoing talks are aimed at finding a lasting solution to the fighting in the Republic of South Sudan, which has hitherto claimed 20,000 lives and displacing over a million others.

"The target here is to re-unite the divided Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and forging unity among the social fabric and eventually ending the suffering of the people of South Sudan," stated Mr Abdulrahman Kinana, Secretary General for the Tanzania's ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). CCM is coordinating the intra SPLM talks that have been taking place at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge in Meru District since October 2014.

The talks were put on hold last December and resumed on January 5, this year. Those to attend the talks include Mr Daniel Awet Akot, leader of South Sudan government delegation, Mr Taban Deng Gai, leader of the opposition, Mr Deng Alor Kuol, head of former detainees' delegation and Mr Philip Mangula, CCM Vice-Chairman as well as Mr Samuel Malecela, former party Vice-Chairman and chairperson of the peace dialogue.

On October 20, last year, President Kikwete, who is also the Chairman of CCM, attended the first round of the talks and lauded efforts by the South Sudan delegation to end the crisis in the country through unifying the two split factions of SPLM.

"This will spare the people of South Sudan more sufferings brought about by civil wars that have been tearing the new country apart," stated Mr Kikwete, pointing out that this was a welcome move at a time when peace in the great lakes region was of paramount concern.

The first phase of the dialogue climaxed with the signing of a framework which took place in December, last year and was witnessed by the President of South Sudan, Mr Salva Kiir and his former Vice-President, Mr Riek Machar Teny.

Others present in the previous talks were the head of the detained leaders, Mr Pagan Amum Okiech, who admitted that South Sudan had lost direction due to SPLM conflicts, while both Peter Adwok Nyaba of SPLM opposition and Mr Akot praised the coordination and moral support of CCM.

Between October 12 and 18 delegations from the South Sudan factions had been meeting in Arusha, engaged in intra SPLM dialogue aimed at uniting the two factions of the split party.

CCM undertook the task of coordinating and hosting the South Sudan peace talks with the aim of re-uniting SPLM leadership and the people of that country.

The initial phase of the dialogue was held in frank, honest and cordial manner and after its conclusion, President Kikwete invited the principal leaders of SPLM for the official launching of the process in Arusha.