By Spy Correspondent
Sudan: During its 36th Extraordinary Assembly of IGAD Heads of State and Government held on Tuesday via videoconference, the regional bloc said Kiir should ensure parties reconstitute the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) in accordance with the revitalized peace deal within seven days of dissolving the current parliament.
The meeting was also attended by Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullah Mohamed, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, IGAD Executive Secretary, Workneh Gebeyehu, IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, Ismail Wais and the interim chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC), Augostino Njoroge.
At the sitting chaired by Sudan’s Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, the IGAD leaders lauded the progress made and milestones reached since the 34th extraordinary assembly held on February 8, 2020, in Ethiopia, citing the appointment and inauguration of the executive arm of South Sudan’s transitional government and finalizing administrative structures in relation to the number of states.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development also urged South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir to dissolve the current parliament before July 26, 2020 and also urged the non-signatories to the revitalized peace agreement to abide by the cessation of hostilities agreement.
In the same meeting, President Museveni said that the ultimate solution for the political crisis in South Sudan is free and fair elections adding that all parties in South Sudan should work quickly during this transitional period and organize elections so that the people can choose their leaders.
“I congratulate all the parties in South Sudan for signing the Peace Agreement. The real ultimate medicine for stability is elections,” President Museveni said.
However President Salva Kiir commended the IGAD member States and other partners for standing with his country during the peace process.
President Kiir said after successfully instituting an inclusive cabinet, they have now moved focus to promoting good governance.
“I am happy to inform you that we have covered some ground and we agreed on locations of Upper Nile and Jongolei states,” President Kiir said.
