Activist blames ‘trust deficit’ as Kiir refuses again to delegate Machar for UN annual meeting

JUBA – A South Sudan activist has blamed trust deficit between leaders of the transitional government for failure of President Salva Kiir Mayardit to delegate his first deputy and leader of the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) to represent him at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

World leaders are gathering at the United Nations headquarters in New Yor for the world body’s annual meeting, its 77^th, which is expected to discuss political uncertainties, the energy crises, climate change, COVID-19 pandemic and transforming education under the theme “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges.”

Kiir instead of dispatching his first deputy sent Vice President Hussein Abdelbaggi Akol of South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), snubbing Machar for the third time since Machar’s return to Juba and appointment as the first vice president under the revitalized peace agreement in 2020.

Speaking to Sudans Post on Saturday, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani said President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s failure to delegate his first deputy to represent the country in regional or international events is an indication of deficit in trust between the political leaders of the world’s youngest country.

“The political leadership to delegate First Vice President Machar to represent the country in regional or international events is a deficit in trust,” Yakani said.

“The delegation to present the actual situation the country is facing the very same problems we are facing in the political transition of the country from violence to peace through the genuine implementation of the R-ARCSS. The truth is that political leaders have high deficit in trust and confidence in working together as leaders from various political parties,” he added.

The activist said that “What the reality in South Sudan requires currently is genuine political transition from the violence to peace through the smooth and credible implementation of the revitalized agreement.”

“The games of not delegating the First Vice President to the UN general assembly or to any different mission abroad is a disturbing indicator for lack of relationship and lack of political trust and confidence among the political leadership of the country,” he added.