Malong, Pagan move talks with gov’t to Nairobi, negotiations to start in January

NAIROBI – Peace talks between South Sudan government and the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA) faction led by General Paul Malong Awan and Pagan Amum have been moved from Rome to the Kenyan capital Nairobi and will take place in January, according to the spokesperson of South Sudan United Front/Army, Nyamach Nyang Chol.

SSOMA split into two factions in November following an attempt by General Thomas Cirilo’s group, National Salvation Front (a founding member of the holdout opposition alliance), to remove both the Real-SPLM under Pagan and the SSUF/A, led by General Thomas Cirilo, from the membership of the alliance.

At a session of talks in Rome in November, the two factions, the one led by Cirilo and the other led by Malong and Pagan, negotiated separately with the government delegation.

Last week, talks between Cirilo’s faction and the government of South Sudan delegation resumed in Rome, but did not include Malong and Pagan, who didn’t also either traveled to the Italian capital.

In an exclusive interview with Sudans Post this evening, Nyamach said the talks between the Malong-led SSOMA faction and the government have been moved to the Kenyan capital Nairobi, and will take place in early January under the auspices of Sant’Egidio community.

“We have been invited by Sant’Egidio and we will not be meeting with the government negotiators this month. We will be meeting at the beginning of January. And the talks between us and the government under Sant’Egidio will take place here in Nairobi,” she said in a phone call with Sudans Post from Nairobi.

Asked why the talks had been moved to Rome, the senior opposition official said the alliance faction opted for Nairobi for convenience purposes because the mediators had given choices of either Nairobi or Rome and to also either choose between late December and early January.

“The Sant’Egidio invitation was flexible and they requested SSOMA leadership under General Malong and General Pagan Amum to either choose the talks to begin at the end of December or early January. They also gave a choice between Rome and Nairobi,” she said.

“So the leadership of SSOMA under General Malong and General Pagan decided that it should take place in Nairobi for convenience,” she added, pointing out that “the talks in Nairobi will still be under Sant’Egidio, the Rome initiative and it is just conveniences due to COVID-19 measures and will make it much easier for delegation to travel here.”

The opposition official further revealed that the group had approached Cirilo and his group for reunification, “but unfortunately they did not respond so we will engage with the government separately.”