Why South Sudan peace deal is still far off

President Salva Kiir 

By Zephania Ubwani,The Citizen Reporter

In Summary

• 15-The date in December last year, South Sudan plunged into chaos

Arusha. The warring parties in South Sudan are still far from reaching a peace deal even after this week’s reconciliatory talks in Arusha, it has been observed.

Sources close to the second round of talks mediated by CCM said there was no significant progress, adding that the government and rebels would resume discussions here on January 5.

News of the failed talks came a day after South African President Jacob Zuma had concluded a visit to Tanzania and Uganda where he reportedly discussed the situation in South Sudan. Mr Zuma held talks with President Jakaya Kikwete on Monday before heading to Uganda on the same day for talks with President Yoweri Museveni.

“The intra-SPLM Dialogue ended without any significant progress,” said a delegate from the South Sudan government, Mr Mark Nyipuoc, who is also the Deputy Speaker of the country’s National Assembly. He was quoted saying the intra-party dialogue initiated by Tanzania would only produce additional inputs on the general peace talks taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, since early this year.

The parallel reconciliatory and unity talks among the three factions of Juba’s South Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Arusha is separate from the peace process spearheaded by Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) in the Ethiopian capital.

The continent’s newest nation plunged into chaos and anarchy on December 15 last year following alleged coup plot against the SPLM-led government by rebels led by former Vice President Riek Machar.

Tanzania started to mediate in the crisis in October this year but under the auspices of the ruling CCM.

On October 22, the three sides negotiating for peace signed a road map which shall guide further negotiations not only to end the war but in an attempt to reunite the divided liberation movement. But representatives of the three sides of the negotiation team who were at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge in Arusha since last week have confirmed there was ‘ no significant progress’ made in the talks brokered by Tanzania government through CCM.

Mr Daniel Awet Akot, a senior member of the SPLM in government, led a delegation comprising Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mark Nyipuoc and Mr Akol Paul Kordit.

A delegation comprising officials from the government of President Salva Kiir arrived in Dodoma last Saturday and held  preparatory talks with President Jakaya Kikwete on Sunday before heading to Arusha.

The agenda of the meeting was not clear, although sources said it was meant for brainstorming and taking stock of the previous minutes and similar engagement with the Ugandan and South African authorities.