S. Sudan’s Kiir, Machar to discuss security arrangements: official
December 11, 2019 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and his main rival Riek Machar are scheduled to meet members of the security committee to review progress on the implementation of the security arrangements, a presidential aide disclosed on Wednesday.
The deputy chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, Lt General Mohamed Hamdan attended the consultative meeting between the South Sudanese leader and Machar at State House in Juba.
Hamdan lauded the meeting between the two rival leaders, urging South Sudanese to support the implementation of the peace deal.
The armed opposition leader is in Juba more than a month after he agreed with Kiir to extend the pre-transitional period by 100 days.
Machar told reporters on Wednesday that they are working together to ensure that the revitalized peace agreement is fully implemented.
Last week, the parties’ signatory to the September 2018 peace agreement failed to reach a consensus on the issue of the number of the states and boundaries, with the government side proposing that a referendum be conducted to allow citizens vote on the issue.
Last month, President Salva Kiir and the country’s main opposition leader Machar agreed to delay key benchmarks in the revitalized peace agreement by 100 days.
The delay in forming a national unity government on November 12 came after Machar’s group raised concerns that the country’s security arrangements are still incomplete.
South Sudan descended into civil war in mid-December 2013 when President Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup, allegations the latter denied.
In September last year, the country’s rival factions signed a revitalized peace deal to end the civil war that killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.
(ST)