By Gladys Fred Kole
US ambassador to Juba has urged South Sudan government to expedite the unfinished tasks in the peace roadmap stated in the revitalized agreement.
Ambassador, Michael J. Alder expressed the concerns in a meeting with the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Deng Dau Deng, on Tuesday.
The envoy acknowledged South Sudan’s seriousness towards the redeployment of the necessary Unified Forces but said parties to the peace agreement need to speed up the remaining tasks as time is running out.
Ambassador Alder was discussing matters of bilateral relations between South Sudan and his Country.
According to Alder, they had a frank and kind discussion about bilateral relations and issues of concern.
“We talked about the urgency and importance of meeting Peace commitments. I reaffirmed, as I had met with other senior leaders in this country, the importance of moving forward to meet these commitments,” he told the media.
According to the US ambassador, he emphasized the issue of the need to have a single army to manage the country’s territorial borders.
“I noted that anybody who looks to the north of South Sudan’s border should understand the need for this country to have a single military with a single channel of command in chief,” he stressed.
In a related but separate scene, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Juba, Ma Qiang also held a briefing with the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
According to Ambassador Ma Qiang, the meeting evolved around recent developments in Taiwan, and he reiterated his government’s position on the “One China principle”.
“I just had a meeting with the Acting Minister, and we exchanged views on several issues concerning bilateral relations and other issues of mutual concern to both China and South Sudan.” Ma Qiang stated.
Acting press secretary in the office of the minister, Muorcol Marial Acut said the meeting between Deng Dau Deng and the two Ambassadors deliberated issues of mutual concern as well as ways to deepen cordial bilateral relations.
“The Acting Minister had a fruitful meeting; they discussed several issues. During the discussion, the Acting Minister affirms South Sudan’s support for the One China Principle,” Muorcol said.
The acting press secretary said that the minister further thanked the people and government of China for their continuous support.