President Kiir

President Salva Kiir has appointed a team to negotiate with Dr. Riek Machar’s delegation in Addis Ababa.

The appointment that was made on Wednesday includes two leaders from the opposition parties in South Sudan.

In an exclusive interview with Eye Radio on Wednesday, the minister of information, Michael Makuei Lueth, who is also the official spokesperson of the government, said the delegation will hold talks with Mr. Machar’s team on the way out of the violence that has killed more than 1,000 people.

Those appointed include: Nhial Deng Nhial, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Lam Akol, the leader of the SPLM-DC; Dr. Riek Gai, Minister of Health; Peter Beshir Gbendi, the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations; Justice Ambrose Thiik, former Chief Justice; Joseph Ukel, the leader of the United South Sudan African Party; Ambassador John Andruga, former consul general to Kenya; Michael Makuei Lueth, Minister of Information and Broadcasting; James Kok, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs; Duoth Guet, Director of External Security; Akol Kor, Chairperson of SPLM Youth League; Paul Malong, Governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.

The delegation has not been able to to travel to Addis Ababa because no flights had been booked, Mr Makuei said.

The government team will travel to Ethiopia on Thursday.

Mr Makuei Lueth added that government forces have recaptured Mayom County, Unity state, from the rebels.

“We have dislodged the rebels from Mayom, the SPLA are advancing,’’ he said.

He said the government will flush the rebels out.

On Tuesday, Mr Machar’s spokesman Hussein Mar Nyuot announced that their delegation would include the following delegates: Madam Rebecca Nyadeng de-Mabior, Presidential Advisor on Gender; Prof. Peter Adwok Nyaba, former Minister of Higher Education; Taban Deng Gai, former Governor of Unity State; Hussein Mar Nyuot, Deputy Governor of Jonglei Stated.