The Rome Peace talks between South Sudan Unity government and the non-signatories to the 2018 Peace Agreement resumed in the Vatican on Tuesday. The government delegation was composed of representatives of parties to the agreement.
The holdout groups under the umbrella of the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance (SSOMA) include Thomas Crilo, Paul Malong, Pagan Amum, Emmanuel Ajawin, and their associates.
A government delegation headed by Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin.
Marial says the talks started from where they left off before the dialogue was suspended by President last year.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to the Rome peace talks and it is the hope of the government to see the holdout groups reach a consensus for peace to prevail in South Sudan.
“The government is committed to the Rome Peace talks and we want to see that peace comes to the people of South Sudan through this dialogue with the non-signatories,” Marial expressed.
The Minister says there was a deadlock over some issues in the first round of the dialogue but he is hoping to see that they reach an agreement in the next round of talks when the agenda is provided.
Dr. Marial mentioned that there were initially 13 points to be discussed before the suspension of the Rome Peace talks and it is from those points that the talks will start.
He said, “There were 13 points to be discussed which we had initially before the talks were suspended, now we are going to start from that process.” The Rome Peace initiative is being mediated by the Saint Egidio community.