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Sudan Tribune

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Kiir urges citizens to accept pre-transitional period extension

November 10, 2019 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has appealed to the country’s citizens to “whole heatedly” accept the extension by 100 days of the pre-transition period.

From the left: Machar, Kiir , Museveni and al Burhan pose in Entebbe after the extension of the pre-transitional period for 100 days on 7 Nov 2019 (Sovereign Council Photo)
From the left: Machar, Kiir , Museveni and al Burhan pose in Entebbe after the extension of the pre-transitional period for 100 days on 7 Nov 2019 (Sovereign Council Photo)

In his speech to the nation on Saturday, Kiir also urged the army and organized forces to maintain peace and accept his orders not to return the country to war.

Kiir and armed opposition leader Riek Machar on Thursday last week agreed to delay key benchmarks in the peace accord by 100 days.

Both parties agreed to push back the deadline at tripartite talks hosted by Uganda, a guarantor to South Sudan’s peace agreement.

The Entebbe meeting was attended by Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni and the head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

The delay in forming a transitional government by November 12 came after the main opposition group threatened to opt out of the deadline, saying security arrangements are incomplete.

“I call upon the parties to the agreement to be patient and accept the decision of the guarantors. I will to engage with all of you on progress of the implementation of the remaining critical tasks of the agreement in the 100 days extension,” said Kiir.

Meanwhile the South Sudanese leader said his government would raise the remaining portion of the $100 million pledged to facilitate the implementation of the country’s revitalized peace agreement.

He said the peace guarantors, with the participation of the parties to the agreement, have established a committee to supervise the implementation of the outstanding critical tasks of the agreement.

“We have no doubt that the aforesaid committee will not inform th the guarantors, IGAD, AU, Security Council and our many partners about the truth on the ground, but also expose the challenges associated with the compliance of the parties with the provisions of the security sector arrangements,” stressed Kiir.

The United States on Friday said it was disappointed after Kiir and Machar failed to form a government, calling on IGAD to establish benchmarks to assess the peace implementation process.

South Sudan descended into war in December 2013 when President Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup, allegations he dismissed.

In September last year, the arch rivals signed a revitalized peace agreement to end the country’s civil war that killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.

(ST)

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