U.S., UK, Norway Urges S. Sudan Parties To Meet Deadline

The U.S., the UK, and Norway have urged the South Sudanese government and the opposition to meet a Nov. 12 deadline to establish a transitional government that will allow progress in the peace process.

The Troika advised in a joint statement on Monday.

“We urge the South Sudanese parties to meet the Nov. 12 deadline to form a transitional government that will enable the conditions for a constructive relationship during the next phase of South Sudan’s peace process,” the Troika said in the statement.

According to the Troika, the two parties should extensively cooperate to enhance trust and demonstrate to the international community that they are willing to engage productively during the transitional period in South Sudan.

They added that the current visit of the UN Security Council members to the country provided an opportunity to discuss how the international community could help South Sudan speed up the peace process.

In September South Sudan President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar agreed to establish a transitional government by Nov. 12.

In Sept. 2018, Kiir signed a power-sharing deal with Machar to end the country’s five-year civil war, and the two leaders signed a formal peace agreement.