Courtesy-of- theeastafrican.com

A government official says the IGAD-led Monitoring and Verification Team failed to begin its work yesterday, because the formation of the team has not yet been completed.

The Monitoring and Verification Mechanism is meant to monitor the implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement between the government forces and forces loyal to Dr. Riek Machar.

Its members are to be drawn from the warring parties –with representation from IGAD countries.

An advance team arrived on Sunday to discuss the formation of the committee with the relevant stakeholders.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mawien Makol, told Eye Radio, that the team has not formed the Joint Technical Committee which is responsible for setting up the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism.

‘‘…the Monitoring and Verification Team that came from Addis on Sunday met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Monday. Yesterday they met our delegation to Addis Ababa. They were supposed to start their work since yesterday, but they were told by the government that their coming here should first be official, and secondly, the formation of the team has not been completed, because the technical things involved in the formation of that body were not completed. So they have to go back to set the Joint Technical Committee upon which they will form the MVT, then they will come back here to start the work’’, Makol said.

Ambassador Mawien said the Monitoring and Verification Team membership will be determined by the Joint Technical Committee, and shall be accountable to IGAD special envoys.

According to the agreement, the team will be composed of one chairman, 3 headquarters staff and 18 monitors who will monitor the implementation of the agreement, and will investigate and verify any complaints from the parties involved.