South Sudan’s powerful friends welcome presidency directive for unification of forces

JUBA – The Troika countries, United States, United Kingdom and Norway, have welcomed the government’s renewed commitments to the unification of rival forces’ military command structures that is essential for overseeing the graduation of Necessary Unified Forces.

The peace parties in several discussions reached deadlock over the ratio of the unified command structures, making it difficult to appoint nominees for the key positions at the highest level of the defense and security services.

However, On Tuesday, President Salva Kiir directed his first deputy, Dr. Riek Machar, and Hussein Abdelbagi to submit the list of their nominees for the unification of security command.

In a statement issued on Thursday, The Troika welcomed the regional bloc, Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s (IGAD) renewed call for parties to abide by the peace deal.

“We commend and echo the Council of Ministers’ renewed call for all parties to abide by the peace an agreement, and for the signatories to show a greater sense of unity for the sake of all South Sudanese within the framework of the revitalized peace agreement and the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity,” it said.

The Troika vowed to supports the efforts of the IGAD in developing a roadmap to resolve current disagreements and overcome obstacles in the implementation of security arrangement.

“While we recognize there has been some recent progress implementing elements of the revitalized peace agreement, recent events in Juba and elsewhere in the country show that slow, partial, and sometimes unconvincing implementation has generated discontent among several constituencies and civil society,” it added.

The Troika expressed its readiness to support South Sudan’s moves away from the legacy of conflict, as well as end splits of parties.

“Where there are legitimate grievances around the direction and the pace of implementation, it is important for those voices to be heard and for freedom of expression to be protected,” it said.