Oct 7, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — South Sudan Presiden Salva Kiir has dispatched a government delegation to meet the South Sudanese armed opposition in Rome to discuss peace in South Sudan.
President Kiir, who is troubled by a conflict that has killed over 400, 000 people and displaced half of the population, met the Government Delegation for the Peace Talks prior to their departure to Rome today in the capital, Juba.
“The Government Delegation for the Peace Talks with the Opposition Holdout groups of South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance today met with President Salva Kiir in his office before their departure to Rome.” Read part of a statement from Salva Kiir’s office.
According to insiders, the government Delegation will be headed by the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Hon. Nhial Deng Nhial.
The Government’s Deputy Chief Negotiator for the Rome Peace Talks, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, who is also the Spokesperson for the negotiating team said, they are resuming the Peace talks in Rome in a high Spirit of Peace, Reconciliation and Open minds, and urged the members of SSOMA to reciprocate the same spirit.
He said that President Salva Kiir directed them to negotiate well with the holdout Opposition Groups of SSOMA in order to bring peace to the people of South Sudan.
The negotiations are set to resume on Friday after months of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The peace talks between the South Sudan government and SSOMA will be moderated by the chairman of South Sudan’s Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) Maj. Gen. Hamid Mohamed Dafalla.
“CTSAMVM Acting Chairman Maj. Gen. Hamid Mohamed Dafalla is leading the CTSAMVM delegation to the South Sudan peace talks between the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) in Rome under the auspices of the Comunita Di Sant’ Egidio from 9 to 12 October,” the statement said.
The talks will focus on the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and the political dialogue among signatories and non-signatories to the R-ARCSS.
Presient Salva Kiir, who has been holding an upper hand in prolonging the conflict, has been blamed for lack of political will to end the conflict.
A significant number of his government officials and military generals have also been sanctioned by the international community.
Kiir received a “Good Govenance Award” on Saturday for his role in Sudan peace talks; however, many South Sudanese criticized the award saying they are yet to see a dividend of “good governance” since President Kiir stepped to power.
