South Sudan says rebel leader Riek Machar cannot re-join the government. It would rather prefer another representative from the rebels but not their leader.
South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir and his rival, Riek Machar have been meeting in Ethiopia for a rare peace talk.
The two met on Wednesday for the first time since 2016 following the collapse of an earlier peace deal.
Ethiopia’s foreign ministry said the talks are to negotiate an end to the current civil war.
Riek Machar accepted the invitation from the Ethiopian Prime Minister for further talks with President Kiir after series of discussions.
Riek Machar fled South Sudan after falling out with his former boss, Salva Kiir. He is under house arrest in South Africa.
Initial discussions
South Sudan government officials say they had “had enough” of Riek Machar.
The government is willing to let back a rebel representative but ruled out rebel leader Riek Machar.
Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth told journalists in Addis Ababa that “Machar cannot be part of government”.
Regional bloc efforts
The peace talk, a move by the Ethiopian prime minister, has the support of the regional grouping IGAD.
Efforts are meant to mediate and get parties to seal a new deal. The plan is for the country to return to a power sharing agreement and ending the war.
Thousands of people have died in the 2013 civil war after troops loyal to the rebel Machar clashed with government troops.
South Sudan gained independence in 2011 from north Sudan but fighting broke out two years later.
Source: Africafeeds.com
