IGAD tells SPLA-IO chief it will respond in a week’s time – spokesman

JUBA – The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has promised that it will response to a request by the SPLA-IO military chief, General Simon Gatwech Dual, to allow Dr. Riek Machar to visit him in the SPLA-IO headquarters in Magenis  in a week’s time, according the SPLA-IO spokesman Brigadier General William Gatjiath Deng.

Last week, General Dual threatened to deploy troops if government does not recommit to the implementation of the security arrangements provided for in the revitalized peace agreement signed in 2018.

Speaking to Sudans Post this afternoon, General Gatjiath said the IGAD has promise the powerful opposition military chief that it will convenes in a week’s time to decide on his request to led Machar visit him

“The IGAD has communicated to us that they will respond to us in a week’s time about the request that was done by the chief of General Staff General Simon Gatwech Dual last week about allowing Dr. Riek Machar, the chairman and commander in chief of the movement to visit us,” Gatjiath told Sudans Post from the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

“So, we are waiting for their meeting but I think it is going to be in a week’s time,” he added.

The implementation of the security arrangement, an important provision in the revitalized peace deal, is at a cross road.

International bodies such as the United Nations  have reported that government troops belonging to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces have not reported to the training centers raising fears of another plan of return to the civil wars.

General Dual is not happy about the low process triggering him to write to the regional body to temporarily release Machar who is under detention in Juba so that he visit them for briefing on the peace implementation.

Analysts have said that failure by the regional body top respond to his request may jeopardize the implementation of the agreement.