December 3rd 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan parties to the revitalized peace agreement have disagreed over the number and boundaries of states in the country after the government proposed for increase to 39 from the current 33 states (including the Abyei Area).
Sources told the Nyamilepedia from the capital Juba that the meeting which has been taking place under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) since yesterday ended in deadlock after the government said it would propose six new states in addition to the current 33.
“In today’s deliberations, there was deadlock on the number of states,” the source said. “The government has hiked the proposed number of states to 39, and that is their stand currently. The SSOA proposes 24 states, SPLM IO stands on 21 states and another party that I am sure of its name proposes 52 states.”
“The debate was hot among the representatives of different political parties. It was characterized by interruptions which did not please the mediators. The notable mediators in the meeting room were the Vice president of South Africa, the former vice president of Kenya, Kalonzo Musyoke and the chairman of IGAD mediation on R-ARCISS among others,” he said.
The source said the regional body decided to add another day to the initial two days for the meeting.
“Once again the next meeting will be tomorrow at 10:00am. The IGAD mediation was determined that the deadlock would be broken on this particular issue of states,” the source further added.
