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Leaders of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African regional bloc, have made headway regarding outstanding issues in talks between South Sudan's warring rivals.
"At the Juba consultations, a breakthrough was achieved on outstanding issues," IGAD chief mediator Seyoum Mesfin told a press conference convened following the one-day summit.
The summit was attended by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Ugandan Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.
According to Mesfin, the IGAD leaders achieved a breakthrough on the outstanding issues to be discussed when peace talks between the warring rivals resume on October 27.
Mesfin noted that the leaders had also reviewed the outcome of the last round of peace talks, held in the Ethiopian city of Bahir Dar.
"The Bahir Dar session identified a few outstanding issues that were discussed at the heads-of-state and government level," Mesfin, flanked by IGAD leaders, told reporters.
Outstanding points that had stalled talks earlier had included the thorny issues of power sharing and the allocation of authority between the president and would-be prime minister.
The Juba government had wanted the prime minister to be answerable to the president, while the rebels had wanted the premier to enjoy executive power.
Another issue concerned the system of government, with the rebels demanding a federal system – a point on which the government had agreed in principle.
"Before the summit, consultations were held with [rebel leader] Riek Machar… to understand key concerns of the opposition as they related to the outcome of the Bahir Dar session," Mesfin said.
The summit comes two days after rival camps within South Sudan's ruling Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) – respectively headed up by Kiir and Machar – reiterated their commitment to settling their outstanding differences through dialogue.
A communiqué to this effect was signed following a round of talks in Tanzania's Arusha.
South Sudan, which became the world's newest nation in 2011 after seceding from Sudan, descended into chaos and bloodshed late last year following an alleged coup attempt against Kiir by Machar.
Thousands of South Sudanese have since lost their lives in the conflict, while more than 1.7 million have been displaced.
In recent months, the warring camps have held on-again, off-again peace talks in Addis Ababa, sponsored by IGAD.
By Okech Francis
englishnews@aa.com.tr
www.aa.com.tr/en - Cuba
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