Museveni, Machar Meet

President Museveni has met the chairman and commander-in-chief of the armed opposition group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM/A-IO), Riek Machar.

Machar met Museveni last night at Masindi state lodge to discuss the outstanding issues in the implementation of the South Sudan peace agreement.

The details of the meeting are still scanty.

The meeting comes a few days after South Sudan’s warring parties failed to form a transitional government by the Friday deadline set by the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), which is overseeing implementation of the peace deal.

The stalemate came after Machar group vowed never to change their position and accept the 28 states established unilaterally by Salva Kiir because the peace deal talks of ten states only.

UN calls for quick formation of the new government

United Nations (United States) (AFP) – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday appealed to the warring factions in South Sudan to resolve their differences and quickly form a new national unity government.

In a statement, Ban expressed concern over the deadlock and urged that it be addressed at an upcoming African Union summit.

“The formation of the Transitional Government is an essential step in implementing the peace agreement and laying the foundation for peace and stability in the country,” Ban said through his spokesman.

South Sudan became independent in July 2011, but plunged into civil war December 15, 2013.

Fighting broke out within the national army, geared by ethnic tensions fuelled by a rivalry between Kiir and his former vice president, Riek Machar.