South Sudan’s rival SPLM factions due to sign agreement in Tanzania

January 20, 2015 (ARUSHA) – South Sudan’s rival factions of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) are due to sign an agreement in the Tanzanian town of Arusha on Wednesday, the country’s foreign ministry has announced.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Tuesday issued by the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation in the United Republic of Tanzania, it announced the warring SPLM factions had reached a successful conclusion to the dialogue and would therefore sign a “symbolising” agreement aimed at unifying the historical party.

Regional heads of state and government are heading to Arusha on Wednesday to witness the signing of the agreement.

“The signing ceremony will be held at Ngurdoto Hotel in Arusha on 21 January 2015 at 11:00 hours and will be witnessed by their Excellences President of the United Republic of Tanzania; President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar; President of the Republic of Uganda; President of the Republic of South Africa; President of the Republic of Kenya; President of the Republic of South Sudan; Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Former Vice President of South Sudan,” partly reads the statement.

The Tanzanian foreign ministry also invites heads of diplomatic and consular missions and international organizations accredited to the country to witness the event.

It is not yet clear what would be contained in the agreement following pessimistic statements from members of the Juba government’s delegation.

Akol Paul Kordit, the head of the youth wing of the group allied to the president Kiir and a member of the discussion told officials on Saturday that the Arusha talks had failed to progress because the armed opposition group led by the former vice president, Riek Machar, and the group of former detainees to which Pagan Amum belongs made impossible demands at the negotiations.

He said while Machar’s faction demanded dissolution and reconstituting the party structures including its leadership, the former detainees wanted their leader Amum reinstated as party’s secretary general.

President Salva Kiir on Monday also vowed he would not step down from the party’s leadership.

The armed opposition faction led by Machar however said there was need to address the root causes of the conflict which started within the leadership of the ruling party and that there was need for the leadership’s self-examination and introduction of reforms.

Observers close to the Arusha talks however told Sudan Tribune a breakthrough was imminent.

(ST)

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