General Simon Gatwech Approves Peace Deal with Government
South Sudanese rebels, led by General Simon Gatwech Dual, have approved a peace deal with the Government of South Sudan. The agreement was signed on Sunday, February 2, in Port Sudan, with Sudan's military government playing a crucial role in brokering the talks. The rebel group Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) Kit-Gwang faction, led by Gen. Gatwech, signed a document aimed at ending the conflict.
A high-level delegation from South Sudan, led by Gen. Akec Tong, traveled to Port Sudan to finalize the agreement with Gen. Gatwech. The deal stipulates that an advance team from the SPLA-IO Kit-Gwang faction will travel to Juba in preparation for Gen. Gatwech's return. The SPLA-IO Kit-Gwang forces will be integrated into the national army and other organized forces within 12 months. Gen. Gatwech will be appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the South Sudan Peoples Defence Force (SSPDF) and key positions within the national, state, and county governments will be allocated to the SPLA-IO Kit-Gwang faction.
Separate peace deal from the ongoing Tumaini Initiative
The reasons for Gen. Gatwech choosing a separate peace deal from the ongoing Tumaini Initiative talks in Nairobi remain unclear. A senior government official described the agreement as “a milestone” in South Sudan’s efforts to consolidate peace ahead of the country’s delayed elections.
The latest peace deal comes amid ongoing efforts to implement the 2018 peace agreement, which has faced repeated delays, security concerns, and political disagreements. Observers suggest the agreement could bolster peace efforts, but challenges remain regarding the full implementation of security arrangements and the integration of opposition forces.
The Sudanese government hailed the agreement as a success and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting peace initiatives in South Sudan.
Who is General Gatwech?
Appointed Chief of Staff of the SPLA-IO in 2014, Gen. Gatwech declined to go to Juba after the 2018 peace agreement, citing unfulfilled security arrangements. In August 2021, he declared himself the new leader of the SPLM/A-IO, ousting Dr. Riek Machar, and appointed Gen. Johnson Olony as his deputy. The SPLA-IO Kit-Gwang faction signed a peace agreement with the government in Khartoum in January 2022, but it was not implemented, leading to disillusionment within the faction and clashes between Gatwech and Olony.
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