Author: Web Desk

A South Sudanese presidential aide on Monday belittled accusations that President Salva Kiir was hindering security arrangements implementation to strengthen his grip on power stressing his full commitment to the revitalized peace pact.

JPEG – 43.7 kb

President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar in Juba, October 20, 2019 (PPU)

“President Salva Kiir is not at all an obstacle to the implementation of the peace agreement,” said Presidential Adviser for National Security Affairs Tut Gatluak in response to statements by SPLM-IO Spokesman Manawa Gathuoth about his refusal to implement an agreement providing to from the new unified army on an equal share of troops.

Gatluak told the Sudan Tribune that Kiir “made it a personal commitment” to ensure the enforcement of the security arrangements and form the unified national army from the signatory groups.

“There is a political will from his Excellency the President of the Republic, General Salva Kiir Mayardit and the First Vice-President Dr Riek Machar. They have directed the mechanisms to speed up the discussions. This shows there is a strong will at the leadership level,” he said.

The IGAD Chair Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok was in Juba for talks with President Kiir and his First Deputy Riek Machar over the stalled implementation of the security arrangements but he failed to bridge the gaps between them.

The presidential aide further said that Kiir had directed the chief of defence forces and members of the Joint Defence Board to tour the training centres of the joint troops to assure them of the government’s commitment to implement the revitalized peace agreement.

With regard to the share of the parties in the composition of the new army, he said the matter would be tackled through the joint mechanism. Also, he pointed out to progress made in the discussions by the reconstituted Joint Monitoring Evaluation Commission.

“Everything is progressing well, and we are confident that our brothers in the mechanisms will expedite the discussions and we are hopeful that soon this will see the leaders form a unified command,” he added.

SPLM-IO said they are ready to accept the IGAD proposed solution that the army command be formed of 45% from the former opposition groups and 55% from the government forces. However, they insist on equal share for the troops.

Military officials in Juba told Sudan Tribune that the high ranking military officers are not enthusiastic for equal representation.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The United Nations will replace the Ethiopian force deployed in the Abyei Area with troops from other countries Contributing to UN peacekeeping operations, Sudan announced on Monday.

Khartoum had asked the United Nations last April to withdraw the Ethiopian force from the border town on the grounds that Addis was no longer a neutral party.

“It is not conceivable to accept Ethiopian forces deployed in the strategic depth of Sudan while the Ethiopian troops are massing on the eastern borders of Sudan,” said the Sudanese foreign minister on 6 April.

On Monday, Sudanese Foreign Minister Maryam Al-Sadiq held a virtual meeting with the UN Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Parfait Onanga-Anyanga with the participation of U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix and the head of UN Department of Operational Support Atul Khare.

In a statement released after the meeting, the foreign ministry announced that the meeting discussed the situation in the Abyei Area and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

“It was agreed to withdraw the Ethiopian component from the UNISFA during the next three months at the request of Sudan,” added the statement.

Al-Mahdi welcomed the UN positive response and its understanding of Sudan’s request to replace the Ethiopian forces. She further pledged to provide all the needed facilities for a “smooth exit” of the Ethiopian troops from the border region.

Days before the independence of South Sudan, the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of a peacekeeping force to the disputed Abyei Area on 27 June 2011.

Currently, there are over 3500 Ethiopian troops deployed in the area. At the time the ousted President Omer al-Bashir who was a close ally to the late Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi had requested that this mention be exclusively formed by Ethiopian soldiers.

Initially, the mission was deployed to provide security and protect civilians following the bloody attacks in the claimed area. On December 14, 2012, the Security Council expanded UNISFA’s mandate to include monitoring along the entire border between North and South Sudan.

Source: Sudan Tribune

South Sudan President refuses to implement the agreed arrangements for the reunification of armed forces because he wants to keep controlling the security sector, said an SPLM-IO official on Sunday.

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok failed to bring President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Riek Machar to agree on the stalled implementation of the security arrangement, particularly the establishment of a single army.

A joint statement released at the end of Hamdok visit to Juba said the visiting IAGD’s chair agreed with the two parties to “continue on their engagements until final positive results are reached”.

Irrigation Minister Manawa P. Gatkuoth who is also the acting SPLM-IO Spokesman confirmed to the Sudan Tribune the failure of Hamdok’s efforts to narrow the gaps between the two sides on the security arrangements and some other issues.

“To overcome the deadlock, the Movement expressed its readiness to accept the IGAD- proposed compromise – 55% for the SPLM-IG/45% for the other signatory groups – at the level of the command of the security services. In return, the rule of equal shares – 50%/50 – must be applied at the level of forces in order to establish an inclusive national army to protect the country, respect the constitution, and stand at the same distance from all political forces,” said Gathuoth.

“However, President Salva Kiir wants to impose plans of his group to control the security sector in South Sudan by demanding 60% of the new national army be issued from his army,” he stressed.

In a series of meetings held in Khartoum sponsored by the IGAG after the signing of the revitalized peace agreement, the signatory groups agreed that the government of President Kiir provides 50% of the troops while the other half will be from the other groups.

Hamdok held two meetings with Machar on 19 and 20 August to discuss the outstanding matters.

Besides the stalled enforcement of the security arrangements, the SPLM-IO complained of the delay in the appointment of the SPLM/A (IO) nominees to the state governments and to the position of Deputy Minister of Interior whose nomination was submitted the President Salva Kiir Mayardit on February 1st, 2021.

The SPLM-IO official regretted the “lack of political will” to fully implement the revitalized peace agreement and accused the SPLM-IG of seeking to obstruct the implementation process and eventually return to war.

“The war at least will enable them to remain in power and protect them from accountability for crimes committed against South Sudanese people, corruption and looting of national wealth and resources,” he said.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The future of the Abyei area should be decided within the framework of developing the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation between South Sudan and Sudan, says a statement issued in Juba on Sunday.

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok flanked by Foreign Minister Mariam al-Mahdi and his Political Adviser Yasir Arma, held a meeting with South Sudan’s Committee for Abyei Final Status to discuss the final status of the Abyei area.

In line with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005, Abyei residents from the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya tribe have to determine through a local referendum if they want to join South Sudan or to remain within Sudan.

However, the two sides failed to agree on who is eligible to take part in this vote. The Ngok Dinka refuse the participation of the Sudanese nomads who move every year between the disputed area and adjacent areas in West Kordofan.

A delegation led by Deng Alors discussed the Abyei issue with Hamdok on Saturday.

On Sunday the delegation released a statement saying they agreed with the Sudanese sides to solve the issue through a negotiated agreement.

Hamdok “Assured the National Committee of Abyei Final Status of Sudan’s readiness to solve the issue of Abyei since both countries of Sudan and South Sudan have developed a spirit of brotherhood and mutual cooperation for the interest of peace and stability in both countries”.

Another meeting should be held soon by the two sides for further discussions on the settlement of the Abyei issue, added the statement.

It is worth mentioning that the National Umma Party of Mariam al-Mahdi has large support in the Misseryia constituencies in Abyei and West Kordofan.

The joint communiqué issued at the end of Hamdok visit did not refer to the Abyei issue.

Source: Sudan Tribune