South Sudan meets Sudan’s civilian coalition to prepare start of political process
South Sudan’s government met with members of Sudan’s civilian coalition, Forces of Freedom and Change on Tuesday in effort to push for cessation of hostilities before the start of the political negotiations to end the conflict that broke out on April 15.
Omar El Degeir, the leader of Sudan’s Forces of Freedom and Change said that the warring parties and all political forces in Sudan need to agree on democratic governance, unified army and transitional justice and economic recovery through negotiation.
“We have to resolve problems through negotiations instead of bullets, artillery and war planes,” El Degeir told journalists after a consultative meeting with the South Sudan officials in Juba.
“The majority of Sudanese believe that war is not the solution to disagreement, and it is not the choice of Sudanese, we have to stop war and open chances for resolving humanitarian crisis that is affecting millions of Sudanese,” he added.
Dhieu Mathok Diing Wol, the secretary general of the South Sudan mediation committee which brokered the signing of the 2020 Juba peace agreement between the Sudan transitional government and various opposition forces, President Salva Kiir started consultation and meeting with Sudan political and civil organizations aimed at resolving the conflict.
“It is also important to have the warring parties especially Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (SAF), in order to have cessation of hostilities and ceasefire such that the political process starts,” Mathok said.
The deputy chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, Malik Agar and members of various opposition parties held two-day consultative meeting in Juba from Oct.23-24 where they endorsed President Salva Kiir to mediate between the warring factions.
Tut Gatluak, President Kiir’s advisor on national security affairs and also chairperson of South Sudan mediation committee said the ongoing fighting in neighboring Sudan is directly impacting South Sudan’s economy, adding it has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation.
“We are part of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and we are part of the African Union, but what affects Sudan affects South Sudan most, we have to join our hands together and rescue the country,” Gatluak said.
South Sudan is hosting more than 364,000 returnees including Sudanese refugees who fled fighting since April, between the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
