Machar is decided to return to South Sudan even if pre-transitional process not finalized
February 5, 2019 (NEW YORK) – The leader of the main South Sudanese opposition Riek Machar will return to Juba by the end of next May even if the parties did not finalize the implementation of the pre-transitional period measures, said David Shearer, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan.
Shearer who is nowadays in New York briefed reporters at UN Headquarters on Tuesday about the ongoing implementation of the revitalized peace agreement signed on 12 September 2018.
He stressed that there are many “positive things” in the implementation process citing the end of clashes except with the National Salvation Front of Thomas Cirilo, the return of refugees and IDPs as well as the presence of the opposition leaders in Juba despite the delay and loss of momentum in several areas.
Answering a question about the implementation process in term of security arrangements and power-sharing, the UNMISS chief said the political forces are preparing for the upcoming transitional period as the Former Detainees decided to reintegrate the SPLM in government while the SSOA still have to decide who will be their candidate for vice president.
Speaking about Riek Machar, he said he was in Khartoum last week where he had a long chat with SPLM-IO leader who told him that he would be in Juba by the end of the pre-transitional period.
“He told me he is going to come back at the end of May,” said Shearer before to add “he even said he would not going to be insisting that everything was in place”.
Machar “felt that it was a good moment to come back,” he further stressed.
With the end of the 30-month transitional period, South Sudan will witness the first general elections for the head of state and legislators since the independence. The SPLM-IO has to reshape his political party besides his participation in the national unity government.
Shearer hailed Machar’s positive attitude, pointing that his wife Angelina Teny who is in Juba for more than a month reports back to her husband about the situation on the ground.
The head of UNMISS said he was in New York, to brief the UN Security Council about the peace implementation process emphasizing on the need to for the international community to “speak as one voice,” and to send the message that the peace process is the only game in town.
(ST)