UPA Spokesperson Lual Dau addresses a news conference in Nairobi. June 9, 2024. (Photo: Lou Nelson/Eye Radio).
The government and opposition teams negotiating the Tumaini Initiative have differed in their positions after an official of the United People’s Alliance (UPA) maintained that the Kenya-led process will produce a standalone agreement instead of being an annex to the 2018 peace deal.
On Tuesday, the government team proposed that the initiative should be incorporated into the R-ARCSS while suggesting the inclusion of opposition groups in various mechanisms including RJMEC and CTSAM-VM, in a position paper to the mediators.
The government team’s spokesperson Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro said in a press briefing that Juba’s position paper was generated from the previous consensus and aligns with the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
He said once agreed upon, the government and opposition groups shall effectively participate in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan.
However, Lual Dau, the secretary general and spokesperson of opposition UPA, said the resumption of the talks should only focus on the remaining power sharing protocols.
He said the opposition will not accept to sign the Tumaini consensus if it becomes part of what he referred to as “failed revitalized peace agreement”.
Mr. Dau added that once an agreement is signed, the Tumaini Initiative should be implemented under its own new mechanisms.
“The Tumaini consensus cannot and will not be signed and to be annex to the failed R-ARCSS,” he said in media briefing following consultation in the alliance.
“Let it be known from today henceforth that Tumaini consensus will be a standalone agreement with its own clear implementation mechanisms as agreed in the initialed protocols.”
“In fact, there is only one protocol on responsibility sharing that should be the main subject for discussion during this round of talks. Thus, the Tumaini consensus can be concluded expeditiously.”
Mr. Dau added the opposition group will present its response to the transitional government delegation on Thursday morning, January 23.
“As opposition, we will be in a very clear position to ask questions about the government presentation, acknowledge anything good that came from their presentation, there are good things that they presented.”
“We will also explain to them as brothers and sisters in the interest of peace as how we have arrived to the right initialed protocols, and from there we will make it clear to them in the hall as we will wait for how the way forward will be.”
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