WASHINGTON DC – United States President Donald J. Trump has told the regional bloc – Intergovernmental Authority on Development – IGAD to do whatever is necessary to achieve peace in the world’s youngest nation.
This come days after the regional bloc, IGAD told President Kiir and SPLM-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny, to accept the establishment of 23 states and the return to 10 states.
The government under President rejected and asked for a break during recent IGAD meeting in Addis Ababa to consult with stakeholders on the issue at home.
Following the proposal, the government of President Kiir strongly criticized the IGAD Council of Ministers for recommending the establishment of 23 states plus Abyei Administrative Area or the return to ten states.
Information minister, Michael Makuei, on Saturday accused the IGAD Council of Ministers and special envoys of siding with the opposition by asking the government to reduce the current number of states.
Makuei said IGAD, which brokered the peace agreement, failed to give reasons that strongly support the establishment of 23 states in South Sudan plus Abyei.
“There were no reasons given. The second report was made by the special envoys who also decided to agree with the report of the IGAD Council of Ministers and recommended the establishment of 23 states,” Makuei told state media.
Makuei says the government is not ready to extend the February 22 deadline for forming a unity government even though rival parties have failed to agree on the number of states and their boundaries.
“The position of the government is very clear. We are saying the government should be established, the current 32 states be maintained and then the unity government will decide whether to go for a referendum or to push it to the constitution-making process, so this is our position,” he stressed.
According to Makuei, the government is also ready to conduct a popular consultation to determine the number of states and their boundaries.
The government spokesman pointed out that the IGAD Heads of State and Government would deliberate on the contentious issue of the number of states and come out with a communiqué.
Speaking to this website today, a source in Addis Ababa said the IGAD has been “told by the Trump Administration to act in any way necessary and do what it can do to achieve peace in South Sudan.”
