May 3rd 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan parties meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa have agreed to extend the pre-transitional period for up to six months, a senior opposition official at the talks told the Nyamilepedia on Friday.
The extension is a key demand of opposition groups who wants the security arrangements completed before any government is formed.
A senior opposition figure at the talks told the Nyamilepedia this afternoon that the parties have agreed to extend the pre-transitional period to allow for the completion of the security arrangements and the number of states.
The two issues have been sticking points even during the talks in the Sudanese capital Khartoum last year which led to the signing of the revitalized peace agreement.
“We have agreed, the government of President Salva [Kiir] have agreed to the extension for six months and now we have a task to complete in front of us,” the opposition official told the Nyamilepedia on the condition of anonymity.
“During these six months, we will work hand-in-hand with each other to make sure that all the necessary preparations are completed. We will make sure that the unified army is established, and the number of states is deliberated upon,” the official added.
Based on the agreed extension, the parties would setup up technical committees to work out the length of the extension period and to come up with a detailed practical plan on how to translate the agreed principles into practical implementable tasks.
Government delegation at the talks said South Sudan is ready and is committed to avail resources for the implementation of the remaining pre-transitional activities.
Parties have now until November 12th 2019 to form a unity government and the extension is none extendable and will be deducted from the 36 months of the transitional period meaning elections will be conducted as scheduled in March 2022.
South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, had insisted that he will form a unity government as scheduled on May 12, but opposition groups argued that there should be an extension of the pre-transitional period because most of the pre-transitional activities are not in place.
It remains unclear what would be next if the parties fail to carry out these preparations after six months.
