Festus Mogae addresses the media in Juba on 13 July, 2017. PHOTO//Joakino Francis/Eye Radio

The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission has asked the warring parties to embrace the spirit of compromise and accept the IGAD bridging proposal to end the conflict in the country.

The Chairperson Festus Mogae said he hopes South Sudanese will understand that the bridging proposal was developed upon their own request.

“Ultimately, it is obvious that none of the parties may be celebrating because such is the nature of dialogue – no one party can get one hundred percent of what they want in a negotiation,” said Ambassador Berhanu Kebed, the JMEC Chief of Staff.

He delivered the statement on behalf of the JMEC Chairperson at the 62nd Extra-ordinary Session of the IGAD Council of Ministers held in Addis Ababa on Thursday.

“Perhaps this is even the more reason to take this bridging proposal as the middle ground in the parties current negotiating positions,” he added.

For the first time since July 2016, the Chairperson said all the warrying factions in South Sudan sat around the table and pursued dialogue to end their protracted conflict.

He commended the Bridging Proposal presented at the revitalization forum concluded last week, to help them narrow the gaps and make progress towards an agreement.

Mogae said despite some progress towards a middle ground, there are a few areas of contention for which the parties have failed to make progress.

He called on the Council to reflect on the process so far, and determine how best to help the South Sudanese parties to overcome the current stalemate.

“I continue to appeal to the Council to remain resolute, speak with one voice, and to prevail over the intransigent parties to make compromises and accommodate one another.”