South Sudan’s warring SPLA-IO and SPLA-Juba factions have begun a workshop on implementation of the ceasefire agreement and security matrix, to which both sides recommitted after high-level IGAD talks last week.

East African bloc IGAD, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has organized a workshop with the participation of six military officers of each side. The event began Saturday morning in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

In opening remarks on the occasion, Seyoum Mesfin, Ethiopia’s former foreign minister and the IGAD chief mediator, urged the two parties to overcome their differences to work for peace.

Mesfin called the workshop “critically important.” He called on the officers to contribute to stopping the war through implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.

He said the participants at the workshop would review the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and security matrix “article by article.”

Meanwhile, political negotiations between the two sides remain adjourned as the two sides conduct internal ‘consultations’ on whether to accept a power-sharing agreement with the other side.

The basic outlines of such an agreement have been discussed at a high level during the most recent negotiations, but no definite agreement was reached on the power-sharing issues. The two parties formally agreed only to respect the ceasefire. 

Photo: Top SPLA-Juba faction commanders Paul Malong (left), Marial Chanuong (center), Salva Kiir (right)

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