South Sudan peace deal stalled

The implementation of the peace deal between the South Sudanese government of Salva Kiir and the SPLA-in-Opposition has been stalled. A regional peace summit of East African heads of state and governments, which was slated to take place on 23 November in the South Sudan’s capital Juba, has been postponed, a senior government official said. A new date has not been announced.

The delays in implementation are due to changes in the Constitution made by the Kiir-administration. In the deal several states would have been ruled by a majority of opposition parties. After the peace agreement was signed in Ethiopia, the Dinka leadership gathered in the Dinka Council of Elders, proposed to split the 10 states into 28 new states.

As a consequence the power shifted towards the larger Dinka constituency. The opposition headed by former vice-president Riek Machar represents mainly the second largest tribe of South Sudan, the Nuer and also other minority groups, including Dinka groups.

On Sunday, Head of the SPLM-IO peace implementation and monitoring committee Dhieu Mathok hinted at the postponement of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) summit in Juba due to violations committed by the government for passing constitutional amendments after the peace agreement.

Mawien Makol, Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, told Radio Tamazuj that the government has decided to defer the summit that was expected to take place on 26 November until further notice for reasons he didn’t mention.

Makol further said the time for the IGAD summit will be announced when the necessary arrangements are completed.