Kiir, Machar kick off consultation for talk to resolve stalemate on unified army command

Kiir, Machar kick off consultation for talk to resolve stalemate on unified army command

Kuol Atem, the SPLM Secretary for Political Affairs, revealed on Friday that consultations for the dialogue to end the deadlock over the security arrangements have started.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny are expected to initiate dialogue soon to end the deadlock over the ratio of the unified command structures essential for overseeing the graduation of Necessary Unified Forces, Kuol Atem, the SPLM Secretary for Political Affairs said on Friday.

On 25th March 2022, President Salva Kiir issued a decree for the unification of the command structure of the national army and the South Sudan National Police Service.

But the SPLM-IO rejected Kiir’s decree on unified command and demanded a 50-50 ratio which was agreed upon by the parties during peace talks in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum in 2018.

Kuol Atem, the SPLM Secretary for Political Affairs, revealed on Friday that consultations for the dialogue to end the deadlock over the security arrangements have started.

“The President and the first vice are in consultation, the president has decreed for the unification of command which was rejected but that will resolve and the command will be one and other outstanding issues will be resolved,” Atem said told journalists after meeting with envoys for the United States, Norway, and United Kingdom in Juba on Thursday.

Bol Makueng, the SPLM Secretary for External Affairs said the dialogue between Kiir and Machar will pave way for the smooth implementation of the 2018 peace deal.

“We will be communicating among ourselves as SPLM members, SPLM-IO, and other political parties because this country belongs to all of us, the first vice president is very promising on the way that they will work hand-in-hand with President Salva Kiir Mayardit so that they cannot take this country back to war again,” Makueng said.

Makueng said the dialogue is the only tool to resolve misunderstandings and miscommunication among various parties to the 2018 peace deal.

“There were situations of misunderstanding, miscommunication which will be corrected, when we are able to communicate among ourselves at the presidential level and at all levels of political parties we will prevent any rumors and any agitation any misunderstanding will be eliminated,” he said.

“We have come to conclusion to do things that are pending in the agreement, some of the challenges were pertaining to security arrangement, and especially the unification of forces and that is already near finishing,” he added.