Machar, UN peacekeeping chief discuss Tambura violence, peace implementation

JUBA – South Sudan’s First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny has met the visiting United Nations Undersecretary for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and discussed the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement with focus on elections, permanent constitution-making process and the ongoing violence in Tambura County.

Mr. Lacroix arrived in Juba on Thursday afternoon and met several leaders and party-signatories to the revitalized peace agreement including President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Vice-President for Gender and Youth Cluster Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, and the country’s Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs Minister Angelina Teny who is also the SPLM-IO Chairperson for Security and Defence.

In a statement following the meeting with Machar, the First Vice President’s office said the meeting was also attended by senior United Nations officials including the head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan Nicolas Haysom who is also the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-general and his deputy Guang Cong.

“H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan received and met in his office with H.E. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations and Chief of United Nations Peacekeeping,” Machar’s office said in the statement seen by Sudans Post.

“Mr. Lacroix was accompanied by Mr. Nicholas Haysom, United Nation Special Envoy Representative of the Secretary General and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and Mr. Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nation and Deputy Head of UNMISS,” the statement added.

It went on to say that the “visit by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, is designed to help give life into the stagnating peace process and to express the commitment of the United Nations to supporting the people of South Sudan.”

Speaking to the media following the meeting, The Acting Press Secretary in the Office of the First Vice President and SPLM-IO Director of Information and Public Relations said “the meeting discussed vital issues, such as the conflict around Tombura County in Western Equatoria State and the delayed graduation and deployment of the unified forces, the humanitarian situation in the country, the permanent constitution-making process, and preparations for elections.”