South
Sudanese parties to the recently signed peace agreement have
successfully concluded selection of ministries on Thursday without
disagreement on key ministries, dispelling fears and speculations that
the parties may not reach consensus on sovereign ministries, Sudan
Tribune reported.
The parties,
according to a letter addressed to former Botswana President and a head
joint Monitoring and evaluation Commission (JMEC), Festus Mogae, agreed
by consensus to divide the ministries without having to use an
agreement-provided lottery-like rotational system since there were no
disagreements.
"We the parties to
the agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South
Sudan, without prejudice to the provisions of chapter 1, article 10.5
of the said agreement, on the selection of the ministries and
appointment procedure for the ministers and deputy ministers, have
agreed by consensus on the allocation of the ministries," declared the
parties in the letter, dated 7 January, containing the selected
ministries, seen by Sudan Tribune.
The parties, in
accordance with the executive power sharing provisions of quotas,
resolved to allow the government to take the 16 ministries of defence
and veteran affairs; finance and planning; justice and constitutional
affairs; information, communications technology and postal services;
minister in the office of the president; trade and industry; wildlife
conservation and tourism' roads and bridges; parliamentary affairs;
national security; health; culture, youth and sports; gender, child and
social welfare; general education and instructions; livestock and
fisheries as well as the ministry of environment and forestry.
The armed
opposition faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO)
under the leadership of the first vice-president designate, Riek Machar,
agreed to take 10 national ministries as follows: petroleum; federal
affairs; interior; water resources and irrigation; labour, public
service and human resources development; higher education, science and
technology; humanitarian affairs and disaster management; land, housing
and urban development; energy and dams as well as mining.
The former
detainees took the ministry of foreign affairs and international
cooperation as well as transport while other political parties took the
ministries of cabinet affairs; and agriculture and food security.
Sources close to
the process told Sudan Tribune the first vice-president designate, Riek
Machar, may soon be appointed by President Salva Kiir in accordance with
the peace agreement, hence to be followed by formation of a
transitional government of national unity by 22 January 2016 as
scheduled by the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC).
The selection of
the divisions of the ministerial portfolios is seen as a giant step
towards formation of the government which will administer the country
for the next 30 months at the end of which a general election will be
conducted.
The August peace agreement ended 21 months of violent conflict which erupted December 15, 2013.
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