Ban Ki-moon, secretary general of the UN, announced Tuesday that rebel SPLM/A leader Dr. Riek Machar has agreed to face-to-face talks with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir. Ki-moon spoke with Machar via satellite telephone shortly after his arrival in South Sudan. Last Friday, Kiir also agreed to attend the face-to-face meeting.
“He [Machar] said that he has been invited by Prime Minister of Ethiopia Hailemariam Desalegn in his capacity as a chair of IGAD to come to Addis Ababa and he responded positively that he will be in Addis Ababa for meeting in time,” the secretary general stated, “but he said he will try his best because he is now in a very remote area.”
Ki-moon arrived in Juba, capital of South Sudan Tuesday, with plans to meet with President Salva Kiir in order to push for a ceasefire, as well as hold discussions with the leaders of South Sudanese civil society groups, especially women’s and religious groups. Ki-moon will also visit the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) protection compounds on his visit, where thousands of South Sudanese are currently seeking shelter, and where Ki-moon will meet with community leaders as well as UN staff and peacekeepers.
Monday US U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry threatened sanctions against South Sudan’s government if they should continue to evade peace talks.
By Day Blakely Donaldson
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