S Sudan opposition reach stalemate in peace process

South Sudan’s main opposition leader Dr Riek Machar has told a visiting United Nations Security Council (UNSC) delegation that he will not be part of a unity government due to kick in next month.

Machar said warring factions in the country failed to agree on ways to merge the army, one of the key conditions of last year’s peace agreement.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and Machar signed a peace deal in September last year bringing a glimmer of hope that the peace process would be renewed, but now Machar says the process has stalled.

In May, the two sides agreed to form a unity government in six months and later said that they will establish a transitional government by November 12 as part of the deal.

The UN Security Council delegation however said that the problems identified by Machar can be solved by the deadline.

Kiir said the process has stalled because the government does not have the finances to fund the disarmament and integration of the army.

The conflict which started in 2013, has left hundreds of thousands dead, displaced a third of the population and ruined the country’s economy.

In statement Macher said he doubted any chance of the stalled peace process being revitalized.