South Sudan peace celebrations delayed one day
October 26, 2018 (JUBA) – South Sudanese peace celebrations have been delayed by one day to take place on 31 October, the minister of information Michael Makuei announced on Friday.
Minister Makuei announced the delay following the weekly cabinet meeting saying technical issues triggered the sudden delay.
“The government has decided that the celebration should be pushed for a day, but it will be on Oct. 31. This is to give a chance for any technical work which is incomplete, to allow it to be completed so that the celebration comes out the way we expected,” he said.
The minister added that there are many other occasions that take place on the same day as the independence of Turkey and a European Union meeting to which many African leaders are invited.
The celebrations intend to show South Sudanese that war is over, in a way to contribute to creating a suitable atmosphere for the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.
The IGAD and the international community encouraged the South Sudanese leaders to make public statements and meetings together to send a positive message across the country about the commitment of the peace partners to the signed pact.
Despite his formal demands for three confidence-building measures, the SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar is expected to attend the celebrations as he would be with the peace grantors and the government pledged to take draconian security measures.
Unconfirmed reports Khartoum say Machar would come with the Sudanese President to Juba and return with him.
The South Sudanese government extended the invitation for this event to the IGAD leader and some African leaders such as the Rwandan president who is the chairperson of the African Union and the South African and Tanzanian presidents.
(ST)