Angelina Teny says unification of rival armies’ command has started

JUBA – South Sudan’s defense minister, Angelina Teny, has said that the unification of the rival armies’ commands has began, but has remained unclear if opposition military commanders including chief of staff General Simon Gatwech Dual is involved.

The senior government official said mechanisms responsible for the process have began their meetings, but are facing some difficulties that she said owes to lack of funds needed for the process.

“The unification of the armies between the parties has began and a series of meeting which are taking place currently will conclude in the next few months and will finalize the unification process after which the armies will be fully reunified,” Teny said.

“However, some issues are hampering the effort to speed up the process and this include lack of funds even to graduate the unified forces,” she said.

Based on the revitalized peace agreement, the parties to the 2018 peace deal are supposed to conclude the first phase of the reunification of the rival forces before the formation of the revitalized unity government.

However, lack of political commitment, as per the international community, has hampered that efforts.