With only six weeks left for signatories to the September 2018 South Sudan peace agreement to form the transitional government, it is a mixed bag of progress and delays.
The formation of the transitional government was extended by 100 days last November and it is supposed to be formed on February 22.
A midterm evaluation by the opposition—led by the National Democratic Movement—paints a positive picture of several major achievements, but which remain vulnerable to political manoeuvres.
One is the recent release of 30 political prisoners, including activist Peter Biar Ajak and businessman Kerbino Wol through a presidential pardon, as a gesture of national reconciliation and healing.
However, a number of prisoners of war and political detainees remain jailed.
South Sudan rights groups say the release of the political prisoners through a presidential pardon is not in line with the peace agreement because it implies a crime was committed.
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Sudan PM visits rebel positions in Kauda
Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok looks on during a visit to a camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in El-Fasher, the capital of the North Darfur state, on November 4, 2019. PHOTO | ASHRAF SHAZLY | AFP
Sudan's interim government has taken another step towards unifying the country by touring the rebel-held stronghold in southern regions.
Accompanied by diplomats from the World Food Programme, the US and UK; Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s historic trip on Thursday to Kauda, 100km south of Khartoum, in the Nuba Mountains, was seen as a major step to ending the perennial conflicts in the country.
Kauda remained completely isolated for nine years due to the fierce war between the rebels and the government of Omar al-Bashir.
Thursday was the first time WFP trucks were able to reach the town since 2011.
Kauda is a significant town for the rebel group—Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North—which controls much of the southern territories in South Kordofan and Blue Nile provinces in Sudan.
Led by Abdulaziz al-Helu, SPLM-North has demanded a secular state or little role of religion in government as well as what they call self-determination.
