South Sudanese factions given 15 more days to reach an agreement

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

November 7, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – African regional leaders have given yet another 15 days ultimatum to the warring factions in South Sudan to reach an agreement on outstanding issues and seal a final deal.

The 28th extraordinary summit of heads of state and government of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) was on Friday wrapping up in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, after two days of intensive discussions on South Sudan.

IGAD, the regional bloc mediating the two South Sudan warring parties has brought President Salva Kiir and his former deputy turned rebel leader, Riek Machar, to face-to-face talks on Thursday and Friday.

However sources close to the talks told Sudan Tribune that the two rival leaders have failed to strike a peace deal by Friday but the details over disagreements were yet to emerge.

Kiir and Machar met for the two consecutive days in the presence of the IGAD chairman and Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn and Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta who is named as rapporteur for the summit.

President Kenyatta’s spokesperson, Manoah Esipisu, on Friday confirmed there was no meaningful breakthrough between the two sides.

He however said commitment is noticed on both sides to end the nearly 11 months old conflict and to bring lasting peace to the young east African nation.

“The leaders are determined to make progress as they see this as a pivotal stage in the negotiations” said Esipisu adding “But it is, as expected, a difficult process.”

15 DAYS ULTIMATUM

Meanwhile, IGAD’s chief mediator, Seyoum Mesfin, has announced that the two warring parties were given 15 more days in order to iron out their differences and reach an agreement.

Mesfin told reporters on Friday that the group is confident the accord can be reached within the specified period, because the leaders have agreed on most power-sharing issues, and need the extra time mainly to “bring on board” other constituencies.

It wasn’t immediately clear which issues have been resolved.

Machar said in an interview late on Friday that there’s agreement on “a text to establish the transitional government of national unity, particularly identifying the powers of the president and powers of the prime minister,” without providing details.

South Sudan information minister Michael Makuei Lueth however dismissed any agreement on the powers of the prime minister during a transitional period.

“We cannot give the prime minister executive power,” he said. “This is the area of disagreement.”

MILITARY THREATS

The regional leaders have also threatened military action and sanctions if the warring parties will not come to a final agreement on the transitional government and power-sharing.

The chief mediator also revealed that IGAD countries, which include Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, are ready to “send troops, fight the intransigents and those violating, and protect the lives of the people of South Sudan.”

“We will leave no stone unturned to get the two South Sudanese conflicting parties to come to their senses and honour their words,” he said.

Earlier on while speaking at the opening of the 28th extra-ordinary summit of the IGAD heads of state and government on Thursday, IGAD chairperson, Hailemariam Desalegn said the progress of the peace process “has been frustrating if not gloomy.”

Desalegn painted a picture of pessimism and hopelessness in an expressed frustration with the continuation of the crisis saying the warring parties could not do other than violating the agreements they signed.

“Despite agreements after agreements to end hostilities and to set in motion a transitional process that will lay the groundwork for sustainable political solution to the conflict in south Sudan, these promises have been observed more by breach.”

He accused both parties of allegedly using the IGAD summits as “welcome intervals” to prepare themselves for a “contest over military pre-eminence, not as genuine forums to seek political solutions to the conflict”.

Although the conflict killed tens of thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands and continues to do so, the willingness of the parties to bring peace is little.

“There appears to be little appetite for peace while the people of south Sudan continue bearing the full brunt of conflict. Apart from the tens of thousands so far killed, hundreds of thousands are rendered refugees while famine and starvation is staring millions more in the eye. The status quo is unsustainable indeed.”

The IGAD chief indicated that this is the time for the African Union and the United Nations Security Council to give full attention to the matter.

“… it should be clear that it’s time the issue be given the full attention it deserves by the AU and UNSC in order for meaningfully strong actions to be taken,” he said.

The South Sudanese government under president Salva Kiir and rebel forces loyal to former vice-president Riek Machar have been engaged in an armed struggle since mid-December last year when a political split in the ruling SPLM turned violent.

The conflict has left tens of thousands dead and forced out over 1.8 million from their homes.

Fighting has resumed in recent weeks in Upper Nile, Jonglei and Unity states as seasonal rains have eased, intensifying UN concern that there may be further casualties and a famine.

(ST)