August 21st 2019 (Nyamilepedia) – South Sudan parties to the revitalized peace agreement signed in September last year are meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to find solution for pending issues, the Nyamilepedia has learned.
In September last year, the government and several opposition groups including the SPLM-IO signed a peace deal called the Revitalized Agreement for the Resolution of the conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) to end the war.
The agreement provided for the formation of a power-sharing government in May but the parties could not meet the deadline because all the pre-transitional activities necessary could not be implemented due to funding issues.
The parties had to meet in May in Addis Ababa to extend the pre-transitional period for another six months.
The six-month extension ends in November and as the deadline nears, the IGAD said no progress is being made and on this basis called for a meeting of the parties in Addis Ababa to discuss the way forward.
In statement on Wednesday, South Sudan’s ministry of information announced the start of the high-level meeting between the parties.
“The opening season of the consultation meeting of the parties to the R-ARCSS has just started,” the statement said.
Civil society welcomes meeting
The South Sudan Youth Organizations’ Coalition (SSYOC) said in a statement extended to Nyamilepedia that it “welcomes the decision by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to convene a consultation meeting of Parties.”
The advocacy group commended the move and said it’s high time for the parties to review key outstanding tasks impeding the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement.
“This is a critical step at a time when it’s very clear that there is alarming slow progress in the implementation of key Pre-Transitional tasks ahead of the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU).
The youth group, urged the parties to attach great value to peace and stability in the country.”
