South Sudan holdout groups, mediation team holds consultative talks
October 14, 2022 (JUBA) – Members of South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) are in Rome for a consultative meeting in preparation for the resumption of talks with the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) in the coming days.
Presidential Affairs minister, Marial Benjamin told Sudan Tribune that talks are due to resume in the coming days and that the mediation team had started consultative efforts.
“In coming days, talks will start. The mediation team is presently carrying out consultation in preparation for resumption of talks. The schedule is not yet out,” he said.
Marial explained that the schedule for the talks will be made public, once it comes out.
“The agenda [for the talks] will be clear and it will also be made public”, he stressed.
On Friday, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and representatives of the Troika held a meeting with holdout opposition leaders in Rome.
SSOMA secretariat, in statement, said the mediation team met with General Thomas Cirillo, leader of the National Salvation Front (NAS), Paul Malong Awan, leader of the South Sudan United Front (SSUF) and Pagan Amum who is the leader of the Real-Sudan People’s Liberation Movement. Other representatives also took part in the consultations.
The consultative meeting was reportedly convened to get the positions of each group ahead of the next round of talks with peace partners in the South Sudanese government.
No specific details were, however, provided in the statement.
The holdout group is an alliance of multiple armed and non-political organizations which did not sign the 2018 revitalized peace agreement, citing failure to address the root causes of the conflict. New groups have also joined the process and are engaged in Sant’Egidio community-mediated “Rome Talks” for their inclusion in the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM).
In 2019, a cessation of hostilities agreement was signed between the Juba government and the NAS, although both sides have traded accusations of ceasefire violation, forcing Cirilo and his groups to twice skip peace talks held in Rome and Naivasha, Kenya.
(ST)