South Sudan unveils new strategies to end war
October 23, 2017 (JUBA) – South Sudan has unveiled new strategies to end the ongoing conflict and restore peace and stability in the war-torn East African country.
“The government is committed to ending this situation created by war. His Excellency the President of the Republic, Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit has been consulting with us at the presidency. He started with first vice president and the vice president, and then he came to advisers and doing it with cabinet ministers of the transitional government of national unity”, Gatluak told Sudan Tribune Monday.
These new strategies, he said, will also evaluate how to implement separate peace initiatives the government and the regional leaders have undertaken as the best way to end the war in the young nation.
“The objective of these consultations is to evaluate the three separate initiatives. The president of Uganda, His Excellency Yoweri Museveni has been trying to bring together all the SPLM [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement] groups to implement the Arusha agreement. The other initiatives are IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development] Revitalization Forum and the national dialogue [initiative],” further said Gatluak.
“To demonstrate the commitment of government, the president decided to restructure the national committee, giving the committee total freedom to conduct the process. That was why they travelled to South Africa to meet Riek Machar, but he refused,” he added.
Gatluak cited the fact that the dialogue committee went to Khartoum to meet Lam Akol, Peter Gatdet and several others.
“They also went to Nairobi to meet the former detainees and in Addis Ababa to meet Thomas Cirilo. All these are indications of the commitment of the government to end the war without conditions,” he stressed.
The presidential aide said government’s acceptance to participate in the revitalization of the peace agreement without conditions, acceptance to participate in the revitalization process, declaration of the cessation of hostilities and negotiating with armed groups showed government’s commitment to the peace implementation.
“Four important decisions have been made by the government and the leadership. One is the important decision is the acceptance of revitalization of the peace agreement as proposed by (IGAD). Another important decision is the acceptance to participate in revitalization. The third important decision and which more important is the declaration of cessation of hostilities and the fourth one is the acceptance of the government to accept all the opposition groups, armed and non-groups like former detainees to participate in the revitalization,” said Gatluak.
He added, “These are indications of commitment to ending the war. And these are very important approach”.
The move to unveil strategies to end war comes days before the expected visit of the United States permanent representative to the United Nations, Nikki Haley.
Haley, who is scheduled visit the country on Wednesday is expected to hold discussions with the senior government officials, including Kiir and his two deputies.
The South Sudanese conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 2 million people.
(ST)