Addis Ababa, 29 September 2014 (WIC) – The peace talks between the South Sudanese warring factions have seen a slow but encouraging progress as president Salva Kiir’s government has agreed to installation of federal system of governance.
Observers at the peace talks told Sudan Tribune on Saturday that various committees formed were working on different documents in order to agree on issues of security, governance and economy of the nation.
“Government negotiators have agreed to the call for federalism in South Sudan. This is a significant step and good gesture to reach a political settlement,” an observer said.
The rebel faction SPLM-in-Opposition under the leadership of the former vice-president, Riek Machar has been calling to restructure the South Sudanese state on the basis of federalism which the government had previously rejected.
The recent change of heart by the government is seen as a good gesture towards reaching a political settlement to end the 9-month-long civil war in the country.
Tens of thousands of people have died and over 1.5 million displaced since the conflict began in mid-December.
The IGAD-mediated peace process is seen as the only hope to peacefully end the conflict and avert the looming humanitarian crisis in the fragile region. (Sudan Tribune)