Jan 31, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —- The First Vice President Designate of the Republic of South Sudan, and Chairman and Commander in Chief of SPLM/SPLA (IO), Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon met the United States diplomats, Ms. Gayle Smith and Linda Thomas-Greenfield, today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
While Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield is a member of the United States’ Career Foreign Service, currently serving as Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs, Ms. Gayle Smith is an American public administrator and the current administrator of the United States Agency for International Development(USAID).
According to Amb. Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs for SPLM/A(IO), the armed opposition chairman, Dr. Machar, briefed the two US diplomats on the implementation of peace agreement in South Sudan.
“this morning January 31, 2016 with Administor for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) H.E. Ms. Gayle Smith and Assistant Secretary of state for African Affairs H.E. Linda Thomas-Greenfield and discussed the implementation of peace agreement in South Sudan.” Ambassador Lol. said.
Dr. Machar further highlighted the issues of Salva Kiir’s 28 states and how their creation impedes the agreement that was signed last year.
“The creation of 28 states outside the peace agreement by President Kiir dominated the agenda.” Amb. Lol Gatkuoth states.
Dr. Machar urged the USA Delegation to African Union Summit to increase pressure on Salva Kiir to revoke his order and respect the agreement.
The chairman of the opposition also requested the United States to support security arrangement and other provisions.
Dr. Machar asked the USA to help in transporting 1,500 Joint Integrated Police and 1,410 soldiers to Juba as soon as possible as part of the peace agreement as stated in the security arrangements.
Amb. Linda Thomas-Greenfield is the United States’ former ambassador to Liberia (2008-20120) and Director General of the US Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources (2012-2013). She has over 35 years experience in foreign service with major postings to Sub-Sahara Africa, Switzerland, Pakistan, The Gambia, Nigeria, Kenya and Jamaica.
In other reports the 55th Extraordinary Session of the IGAD Council fo Ministers, attended by South Sudan’s Foreign Affair Minister Dr. Marial Benjamin, has called on South Sudan’s President to revoke his presidential order no. 36 which attempts to create more states in the country.
The council calls on South Sudan leaders to instead form an inclusive “Boundary Commission” to carry out feasibility study and review creation of more states which will be re-examined and approved by the Transitional Government of National Unity.
“Urges the Parties, subsequent to the formation of TGoNU at national level, in the absence of agreement on the creation of new states, to suspend further action implementing the operationalization of new states until an inclusive, participatory National Boundary Commission comprising all parties to ARCSS reviews proposed states and their boundaries, and that this review process occur, for a period of up to one month,” the IGAD said.
