JUBA – Governors of South Sudan’s 32 states have said they will never give up on the number of states saying it was a red line for citizens in their respective states.
This comes shortly after they met President Salva Kiir in the state-house J1 where
‘Be prepared for all eventualities’
President Kiir narrated that the issue of the number of states and their boundaries remains a sticking point impeding the formation of a unity government, and that it is unlikely that the matter may merit further discussions if they Parties fail to reach a consensus this week.
“If we fail to agree on the number of states, then the issue will be handed over to the guarantors, but we should always be prepared for any eventuality,” Kiir reportedly told 32 states’ governors.
On a similar note, the Presidency confirmed that the governors of 32 states “were briefed by the President on the status and progress of the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement as well as the issue of the number of states and their boundaries.”
Since last year, the issue of the number of states and their boundaries has delayed the formation of a unity government, after the Parties failed to reach an agreement.
Last month, the South African Vice President David Mabuza proposed an arbitration mechanism to break the deadlock and suggested that the issue could be resolved for an extended period of 90 days.
