Gov’t says Troika not accredited in South Sudan

JUBA – South Sudan’s government has urged the Troika, a group comprising the United States, United Kingdom, and Norway, to focus on their original mandate of facilitating the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) rather than advocating for other issues in the country.

Speaking to reporters during a press conference at the ministry headquarters in Juba, foreign minister James Pitia Morgan emphasized the distinction between the Troika’s initial role in supporting the CPA and their current status in South Sudan.

The senior government official clarified that while the Troika members were welcomed as ambassadors accredited to South Sudan for bilateral relations with their individual countries, they were not recognized as a collective entity within the country.

“The Troika was formed for the CPA,” Morgan stated. “But now there are some articles of the CPA which have not been implemented, like the Abyei question. This is why Troika should now be asking, why is the Abyei question not resolved? That is the work of the Troika, because it was formed for that purpose.”

He stressed that while South Sudan respects its bilateral relationships with the United States, United Kingdom, and Norway, the Troika’s role in the country should be limited to what he said is its original mandate.

He called on the Troika ambassadors to only focus on unresolved issues arising from the CPA, such as the demarcation of borders with Sudan.

“Bilaterally, they are accredited. But Troika, we didn’t accredit anything here called Troika and I already told them, as a minister of foreign affairs, I will meet them on that basis,” he said.

“Respecting our relationship with UK, respecting our relationship with US, respecting our relationship with Norway and ask us why the Abyei protocol still remains unresolved.

“Why our borders with Sudan remain undemarcated? These are the questions that Troika should be following,” he added.