South Sudan opposition leader, Western allies’ envoys discuss peace process

JUBA – South Sudan opposition leader and chair of the Equatoria People’s Alliance (EPA) Dr. Hakim Dario on Tuesday met and discussed the ongoing peace process in South Sudan and pledged to work in partnership with the Troika countries to achieve peace in the world’s youngest country.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post, Dario said he met in London with the British Special Envoy for South Sudan and the UK’s Troika representative Robert Fairweather and deputy head of unit for Sudan and South Sudan in the British foreign office Anna Butchart to discuss the peace process.

“Equatoria Peoples’ Alliance (EPA) met on the 25th October 2022 with HM Government of the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for South Sudan and UK TROIKA representative; His Excellency Robert Fairweather, and Dr. Anna Butchart, Deputy Head, Sudan and South Sudan Unit in the Foreign, Common Wealth and Development Office, London, to consult on the current UK and TROIKA ongoing support for the peace process in South Sudan and the way forward,” Dr. Hakim said in the statement.

“EPA welcomes assurances of the UK Government and TROIKA (UK, USA, Norway) commitment to supporting the peace process for the people of South Sudan to end the vicious cycle of violence, conflict and humanitarian crisis in the country, and to bring a truly just and lasting peace to the Failed State that South Sudan has become one under the current fractious, tribal and corrupt SPLM leaders of R-TGONU who led the country to being a failed state,” he added.

The prominent opposition leader further commended “commends the UK, TROIKA and the EU action to abstain on a vote to endorse the South Sudanese Government’s recent extension of the peace process by a further 2 years.”

He accused President Salva Kiir Mayardit of lacking “political will to build and lead strong institutions, neither can these unelected leaders of R-TGONU be entrusted with the peace process, nor expanding political and civic space, and them holding free, fair and credible democratic elections for the people of South Sudan in another 24 months transitional period. President Kiir publicly proclaimed that the R-ARCSS was not designed or made to be implemented and did everything in his power to obstruct its implementation.”

“Thus UK, TROIKA and EU partners’ lending of any support to R-TGONU’s illegitimate extension in office by another 24 months, risk the UK and TROIKA Governments becoming direct or indirect accomplices to continuing unabated gross Human Rights violations by R-TGONU in the failed Republic of South Sudan,” he added.

He pledged that the EPA which he said represents the voices of the people fo Greater Equatoria and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area “stands ready to work in partnership with the UK, TROIKA Governments and EU as our peoples’ strategic peace and development partners, to transition out of the current failed State of South Sudan into a new Transitional Peoples’ Shared Sovereignty Union State and Government, without the failed President Salva Kiir, and Riek Machar in power, including all corrupt and sanctioned individuals occupying a position in public office.”