This Week in South Sudan - Week 36

Monday 3 September

• The parties to the recent ceasefire agreement started a three-day workshop on ceasefire and transitional security arrangements.

Tuesday 4 September

• South Sudan refugee representatives met with the key stakeholders of the Khartoum peace negotiations.
• Amnesty International reported that South Sudanese authorities have arbitrarily arrested, detained, tortured and ill-treated people despite promises to release detainees.
• Luka Biong Deng Kuol in Radio Tamazuj: “Does it make sense what is happening in Khartoum?”

Thursday 6 September

• China decided to contribute with 268 peacekeepers to South Sudan for a one-year mission.

Friday 7 September

• The South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) issued a three-days ultimatum for the National Salvation Front and the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) to decide on whether they will continue the peace process as part of the opposition alliance or alone.
• Abdel Bahi Ayij Akol declared the end of a dispute between leaders in the South Sudan Patriotic Movement/Army.

Saturday 8 September

• President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar are expected to sign a presumably final peace accord at a summit in Addis Ababa on 12 September.

Sunday 9 September

• The PDM rejected the revitalized peace agreementbecause it did not incorporate goals from the SSOA.
  • The IGAD special envoy for South Sudan transmitted the concerns from opposition groups to the IGAD Council, and will discuss them at the upcoming IGAD meeting.