South Sudan talks are still at security arrangements

July 1, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – South Sudanese parties are still tackling the security arrangements, said the Sudanese foreign minister on Sunday.

The parties started on 25 June, a round of talks in Khartoum for two weeks. On Wednesday 27 June they agreed to settle the outstanding issues in the security arrangements and governance chapters.

In statements to the semi-official SMC, Foreign Minister al-Dirdiri Ahmed said the South Sudanese talks on the outstanding issues continue to discuss the security arguments.

He further said the discussions on the governance issues or the power-sharing chapter will begin later. But the minister did not provide further details on the progress achieved in the talks.

While the South Sudanese parties still diverge on four issues related to the security arrangements chapter, they have three outstanding issues about the responsibility sharing ratio in the executive and the states; the number of states and establishment of an inclusive boundaries commission to determine the issue; and the size and composition of the Legislature.

These three matters, in addition to the participation of Riek Machar in the transitional government, will take much of time and pressures as wide gaps exist in the positions of the parties over these matters.

(ST)