South Sudan’s main opposition group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), has submitted its position paper to Kenyan mediators ahead of planned inclusive peace talks set to start next week, party officials announced Friday.
The SPLM-IO, founded and led by detained First Vice President Riek Machar, is currently under acting leadership by Oyet Nathaniel while Machar remains in custody in Juba facing treason and related charges.
The group signed the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) with President Salva Kiir, ending a five-year civil war, but the deal has faced severe strain from renewed fighting and violations of ceasefire terms in several regions.
Kenyan-brokered talks under the Tumaini Initiative are tentatively scheduled to begin February 9 in Nairobi, though mediators have not confirmed if they will proceed on time or face delays.
Multiple SPLM-IO officials, speaking anonymously to local broadcaster Radio Tamazuj, emphasized that the position paper firmly states the party will not join any talks without Machar’s unconditional release.
“There can be no dialogue without the unconditional release of the First Vice President and Chairman of the SPLM-IO, Dr Riek Machar,” one official said.
The submission also welcomes a recent African Union Peace and Security Council communiqué calling for resolution of the crisis.
Officials added that the document demands an immediate ceasefire, respect for the cessation of hostilities, release of political detainees, and full implementation of the 2018 peace agreement.
Civil society organizations involved in the Tumaini Initiative have also submitted a joint position paper, welcoming the resumption of talks but calling for more time for consultations on the timeline and election priorities.
While hosted by the Kenyan government, the process requires South Sudan’s government consent, and mediators are still awaiting responses from some invited parties—raising uncertainty about the February 9 start date.
