February 8th 2020 (Nyamilepedia) – A senior South Sudan opposition official has said that the regional bloc, IGAD, which mediated the revitalized peace agreement has not yet taken any decision regarding the dispute over the number and boundaries of states.
Social media users this afternoon has been circulating reports alleging that the IGAD has “approved” 23 states (plus the Abyei Administrative Area) during its council of ministers’ meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa this afternoon.
However, speaking to Nyamilepedia this evening, Stephen Lual Ngor, the deputy spokesman of South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) said they were waiting for the regional body to issue a statement on South Sudan which he said toped their agenda during today’s meeting.
“The IGAD has not issued an official statement regarding what is being circulated on social media,” Lual who is also the spokesperson for South Sudan Patriotic Movement (SSPM/A) said.
“We are waiting for the IGAD to issue an official statement.”
Lual further said the Sudanese and Ugandan governments would be the one to provide an update regarding the dispute because they mediated the extension of the pre-transitional in November last year.
“Sudan and Uganda will be following up on the issue because they mediated and supervised the pre-transitional period extension for 100 days,” he said.
He however expressed the parties’ commitment to the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement and said that there was political will between the parties to make sure that all the pre-transitional activities are resolved before the formation of what would be the Reconstituted Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU).
