Taban Deng Gai, SPLM-IO Chief Negotiator in a 2014 press conference in Addis Ababa

The first batch of the SPLM-In Opposition advance team will arrive in Juba tomorrow, a government official has confirmed.

The arrival of the 150-member group led by Taban Deng Gai, SPLM-IO Chief Negotiator, is in line with the security arrangements agreement both the government and the opposition signed in October.

All the necessary arrangements and preparations have been put in place, according to Paul Akol Kordit, spokesperson for the committee for coordination, reception, and accommodation of the SPLM-IO team.

The development comes after weeks of argument between the signatories to the August peace deal, over the number of the SPLM-IO team to travel to Juba.

The opposition had proposed at least 600 members. While government rejected, claiming that reception of such a big number would be a ‘security risk’.

The team has been split into two – one will arrive in the morning, and the other, in the afternoon. IGAD mediation and its international partners are responsible for the logistics.

Mr Kordit has called upon people to welcome the team.

The advance team will officially commence the implementation of the August peace agreement, on the ground, between the government and the armed opposition led by former vice-president Dr Riek Machar.

Some of the members of the advance team are expected to spread to states in order to disseminate the contents of the peace agreement and mobilize the populations to support its full implementation.