Category: Culture

The government of Sudan has expressed its willingness to train South Sudanese military leaders appointed to serve in the country’s military command structure, a presidential advisor has disclosed.

Tutkew Gatlauk Manime, an advisor on security affairs, said President Salva Kiir had already received lists of the opposition officers to be integrated into the army.

“Our brothers in Sudan are not going to leave us alone. They will stand side by side and back-to-back with us throughout the transitional period. We have been receiving these assurances of support from the Sudanese leadership, especially from the chairman and deputy chairman of the sovereign council. Through them and in various discussions, we have received assurances that they will train some of the top of our military leaders,” Manime told Sudan Tribune on Monday.

He added, “This is going to be a big support. We will need skills and knowledge transfer training for both officers and men”.

On March 27, the parties to the September 2018 revitalized agreement signed a deal mediated by the Sudanese government that ended a stalemate over the command structure of the unified forces.

The deal also followed disagreements within the peace parties which saw SPLM/A-IO representatives pull out of the security mechanisms over alleged violation of the ceasefire agreement by the Kiir-led party (SPLM).

According to the agreement, the power-sharing in the unified army gives the incumbent SPLM party 60% and the other 40% to two armed groups.

South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), a coalition of opposition groups that signed the peace deal on Monday said it had completed internal consultations and handed the list of its nominees for the unified command structure its representative at the presidency level, Hussein Abdel Akol.

Akol is currently the country’s vice president in charge of service delivery cluster.

SSOA is part of the 40% allocated to opposition in the command structure.

The agreement permits the opposition alliance to nominate military leaders for positions of director of riverine unit, director of border police, director of training in the National Security Services, deputy director of external security and officials in the prison and reform, wildlife and civil defense units.

Sources within the presidency told Sudan Tribune on Monday that Kiir would make appointment to the command structure once he obtains all lists of the nominees.

The appointment and the announcement of the formation of the unified command structure will pave way for the pass out of 50,000 forces in all the training centers including the army, police, national security, prison, wildlife and civil defense.

Source: Sudan Tribune

The South Sudanese government has lauded neigbouring Sudan for breaking a security deadlock over the unification of command structure.

The April 3, 2022 agreement, mediated by Sudan’s deputy chairman of Sovereign Council, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ended fears of escalating the political and security differences which threatened a return to another full-scale war.

The latest agreement also ended the tension and panic caused by the armed opposition’s (SPLM/A-IO) initial withdrawal from participation in the security mechanism and meetings chaired by peace monitors in protest over attacks on its forces.

On Sunday, the rival leaders inked a deal to unify command of forces and to graduate them from the training sites and fast track their deployment to provide protection and security to the people and secure territorial integrity of the young nation.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Monday described it as a step forward in implementing key security provisions in the peace agreement.

Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Monday, the South Sudanese presidential advisor on security affairs, Tut Gatluak Manime said the intervention of Sudan averted a situation that could have deteriorated and returned the country to square one.

“Our brothers in Sudan played an important role in breaking the deadlock. Their role resulted in the agreement which the parties signed yesterday,” he explained, adding, “It is an important step forward and I hope the leaders will work together to consolidate. At the secretariat, my team and I will work to ensure what the leaders have agreed is fast-tracked so that the unification of forces is put behind us in the implementation of the peace agreement”.

Meanwhile Dagalo left for Khartoum on Sunday after monitoring the progress and challenges facing the implementation of the peace agreement, especially the security protocol. His accompanying delegation left Juba after witnessing the signing of the agreement on the unification of the army structures between the government and opposition groups in Juba.

South Sudan’s Vice President for Service Cluster Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, chairperson of the National Transitional Committee (NTC) and senior government officials witnessed the departure of the Sudanese delegation at Juba airport.

Source: Sudan Tribune

South Sudan President Salva Kiir has sacked the country’s Health minister, Elizabeth Achuei Yol, replacing her with lawmaker Yolanda Awel Juach.

Kiir directive came in a decree read on the state-owned SSBC Wednesday.

The former minister was a nominee from the armed opposition movement (SPLM-IO) under the overall leadership of First Vice President Riek Machar.

As such, her replacement is expected to be from the same political party.

The minister’s appointment has drawn mixed reactions from the public, with many questioning circumstances under which she was appointed.

Some members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) commented on the appointment of the new minister, citing heated debates in the leadership council before the decision was made.

The First Vice President, Machar, multiple sources told Sudan Tribune, was not in favour of the new Health minister, but the fact that the SPLM-IO council was looking for a female candidate from Warrap state, particularly from Twic County, meant the ministerial post was left to be filled by Juach.

Source: Sudan Tribune