Africa-Press – South-Sudan. South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny have both rejected a proposal put forth by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to break the deadlock over the allocation of positions of the unified army command provided for in the revitalized peace agreement.
The parties met in Addis Ababa in 2019 and agreed to divide the army command positions 50/50 between South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the entire opposition, but President Salva Kiir’s side in recent months has been demanding 60 percent of all the positions and forces composition.
This has resulted in the creation of a deadlock that has since delayed the formation of the unified army command and also the graduation of what would become the country’s first professional national army.
The IGAD in August intervened to make a proposal that would increase the government’s share to 55 per cent and decrease the opposition’s share to 45 per cent, but the two sides have both rejected the proposal with Kiir insisting on taking 60 per cent of all positions of the unified army command, according to member of SPLM-IO National Liberation Council (NLC) Dut Majokdit.
“There is still deadlock on the sharing of power on the level of the unified army command. The SPLM-IG is still demanding 60 percent. But the parties in May 2019 agreed that the command is shared 50/50 between the SPLM-IG and the opposition and the president wants to take 60% in violation to the agreement,” Majokdit said on Tuesday night.
“The IGAD has made a proposal of 55/45 and this hasn’t yet been accepted by the parties. The SPLM-IO position is very clear and we stand by the 50/50 as provided for in the initial agreement. Kiir is insisting on taking 60 per cent and we are insisting on our 50 per cent too,” he added.
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