Holdout opposition groups have expressed reservations on the government’s new negotiating team for upcoming peace talks in Italy, saying the team represents the president’s side only.

President Salva Kiir last month reconstituted the government negotiating team for the peace talks with the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA), a coalition of nine opposition parties which did not sign the revitalized peace agreement.

The president appointed Presidential Affairs Minister Nhial Deng Nhial as the new head of the government delegation to the talks and named Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin as the deputy head of the government delegation and its spokesperson.

The members of the negotiating team include Henry Omay Akolawin, Scopas Lokobang, Thomas Duoth Guet, Akol Koor Kuc and Rabi Emmanuel Mujung.

Kwaje Lasu, the Interim Secretary-General for the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA), told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that they have reservations on the grounds that the government delegation is not representative of the unity government formed earlier this year.

“Of course, the government is free to select its negotiating team. But we think that if there are peace talks, the unity government should have put forward an inclusive team,” he said.

“We cannot dictate the selection process, but we will love to see representatives of the government of the day. The negotiation is not about SSOMA alone and certain parties in Juba, the negotiation is about South Sudan,” he added.

Kwaje underscored that the opposition coalition is concerned about the government’s new delegation to the peace talks, saying most members of the negotiating team appointed by the president comprises top security officials.

“We are not rejecting the government team, but we have a concern because the team represents only the SPLM Party,” he said.

Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, the spokesperson of the government negotiating team, said: “We understand the concern raised by the opposition, and I am sure the president will look into it.”

“We have no problem with the reservation expressed by them because it is their view. When there is an official letter addressed to us about the negotiating team, we will try to look into it. We have not yet received a letter officially on the matter, so we just heard of the issue via the media,” he added.

Marial, a former presidential advisor, said the government is ready to start serious peace negotiations with the opposition to achieve lasting peace in the country.

The discussion between the previous transitional government and the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA), under the auspices of the Rome-based Sant’ Egidio Community, was put on hold in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Both sides signed a truce agreement on January 12, 2020, and agreed that they will continue to dialogue. The parties also recommitted themselves to the cessation of hostilities agreement signed in December 2017 to stop further armed confrontations.

Peace negotiations between both sides are expected to resume soon.