Despite many unimplemented clauses in the South Sudan Peace pact, parties agree to extend.

The parties to the renewed peace deal in South Sudan have decided to prolong the transitional coalition government, according to the chairman of the IGAD Council of Ministers.

A peace accord agreed by President Salva Kiir and opposition factions in 2018 concluded five years of civil violence. However, the majority of the agreement’s provisions remain unimplemented, and the parties have set February 2023 as the conclusion of the transitional phase.

The peace agreement that links the parties to a temporary unity government pushes the authorities to schedule general elections prior to February 2023.

Long have citizens and the international community dreamed that a vote would bring in a democratically elected administration in the world’s youngest nation.

“I visited with President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, and Vice President Hussein Abdelbaqi in Juba. Ali Al-Sadiq, the acting Sudanese minister of foreign affairs, in an exclusive interview by Radio Tamazuj seen by NCMP, explained in Juba that the talks he held centered on the execution of the peace deal and its obstacles.

Al-Sadiq, who is also the chairman of the IGAD Council of Ministers, said that he had discussed with South Sudanese leaders the prospect of prolonging the lifetime of the transitional government since general elections need preparation.

“The remaining time is insufficient to hold the elections, thus the notion to prolong the transitional period arose during the deliberations. This is what the parties have agreed upon, and it will be announced by the president,” al-Sadiq stated.

According to the senior Sudanese diplomat, the extension of the transitional term would provide the transitional government with adequate time to accomplish the crucial duties of the peace deal, therefore fostering a climate favorable to elections.

The agreed-upon extended duration remains ambiguous.

When asked to comment on the US administration’s decision to suspend funding for the South Sudan peace agreement’s security mechanisms, the Sudanese official stated, “The US decision was unfortunate, and we spoke with the US chargé d’affaires in Khartoum in an attempt to have them reconsider, but they informed us that the decision was final.”

Al-Sadiq said that the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), and other partners will attempt to raise cash to help South Sudan’s peace processes.

Therefore, we must attempt to fill the void created by the United States. We must also demonstrate to the world that we do not necessarily depend substantially on Western help, and this is what we are attempting to achieve with the IGAD, said al-Sadiq.

The Sudanese minister emphasized that the relationship between Sudan and South Sudan is strong and close, highlighting the need of opening border crossings to boost commerce.

“An agreement has been reached about the opening of border crossings, and there are no objections to this. However, there are certain logistical obstacles at the borders, and both parties are striving to eliminate them as soon as possible,” he stated.

According to al-Sadiq, it is the policy of Sudan that South Sudanese nationals should be considered Sudanese in all aspects of life.

He said, “If anything contrary to this has occurred, it is not a government policy; we see it as an individual incident.”