Africa-Press – South-Sudan. On Sunday, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Government (SPLM-IG) under President Salva Kiir and the armed opposition to the peace agreement agreed to unify army command, which is a key development to pave the way for the graduation of unified forces.
The agreement was mediated by neighbouring Sudan after over two years of disagreement over the division of the percentage. Martin Gama Obacha, Minister of Mining and Representative of the SPLM-IO, described the agreement as a watershed moment in Chapter Two of the security arrangement that will bring the country lasting peace.
“Today we have moved forward to reach an understanding of how we shall implement Chapter Two of the agreement,” he said.
“The people of South Sudan are yearning for peace. Today we have reached a milestone. We have agreed, and we have signed an understanding that we shall be moving forward, “Obacha said.
The agreement provides for a division of 60 per cent for the president’s camp and 40 per cent for the armed opposition signatories to the peace agreement.
The signing of this agreement on the unified command structure is so commendable because it would pave the way for the graduation of forces as well as provide a boost in the implementation of Chapter Two of the peace agreement. In recent days, we have seen tension rising between the forces of the SPLA-IO and the SSPDF. Many people in the country, especially those living in Juba, were worried that the country would slide back into war.
The effort by the parties’ leaders to reach a consensus was very important because it had relieved the public from a lot of worries. It has also given hope to the forces who have anxiously been waiting for their graduation for about three years.
However, the most important thing is the implementation of the signed agreement, because experience has shown that signing the agreement is easy but the implementation is a challenge. The leaders should take the unified command structure they signed on Sunday very seriously to realise the dreams of the citizens.
They need to demonstrate to the citizens that this revitalised peace agreement is not only about power-sharing but also about delivering justice, liberty, and prosperity to the citizens. This can only be achieved if there is peace in the country, and you cannot talk about justice when there is still insecurity in most parts of the country, simply because the forces lack unified command. To ensure easy control of the forces, there is a need for the country to have one central command, not units of soldiers paying allegiance to different commands.
This recent agreement signed should lead to the immediate graduation of the unified forces that would pave the way for the graduation of the second batch.
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