President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar. Photo credit: Courtesy

President Salva Kiir has told his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar to submit the list of his officers as part of the unified command.

This the president said is to expedite the unification of the necessary unified forces.

The call came a day after the peace parties reached a deal to end the stalemate over the command structure of the unified forces.

The stalemate over formation of a unified command is one of several crucial and unresolved issues holding up implementation of the 2018 deal.

Speaking to the media yesterday after a face-to-face meeting between President Kiir and his first deputy, the Minister of presidential affairs Barnaba Marial Benjamin said the president has requested Dr. Riek to submit a list of his officers to form the unified command.

“H.E President Salva Kiir had a one to one meeting this afternoon [Monday] with his First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and they had a face to face conversation since the agreement of the unified command of the army was signed yesterday [Sunday],” Dr. Marial said.

“They agreed that this will open the way for the development of a unified army in the country and also they stress that this will strengthen peace and stability in the country.

“President Kiir also requested the First Vice President as the chair of the SPLM-IO to present the list of his officers who will observe or be a part of the unified command of which H.E First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar also agreed.”

Dr. Marial added that President Kiir said his office is always open to Dr. Machar.

“The president stresses that his office is open and that should His Excellency the first vice president want to see him at any time, he will always be ready and willing to meet him and discuss issues which are related to South Sudan including the peace implementation,” Dr. Marial said.

“President stressed it again that he did not want to see this country go back to war and His Excellency the vice president also said he is committed to peace because the people of South Sudan are tired and they will have to work together to bring stability and development.