unmiss

The UN Mission in South Sudan says it rejected the IGAD’s request to use the mission’s aircraft to transport delegates of the SPLM in Opposition for security reasons.

Earlier, the SPLM in Opposition in the peace talks requested IGAD to help facilitate its members inside the country to attend consultative conference in Pagak, in Upper Nile State.

In a statement released to media by the mission’s Public Information Office today, the mission said wishes to correct what it called wrong media reports claiming that the Mission had accepted to transport opposition members.

The statement said that UNMISS received a written request dated 17 November 2014 from the Office of the IGAD’s Special Envoys for South Sudan to provide air transportation to the SPLM/A- in Opposition delegates based in Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei states.

According to the Mission’s statement, it said that UNMISS declined the IGAD request in writing on 19 November, citing security and practical reasons.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation forwarded a written communication to the Office of the IGAD Special Envoys for South Sudan advising that the government has no objection to the facilitation of transportation of participants of SPLM/A- in Opposition from their locations in the country.

The statement said that the SPLM/A – In Oppositions were to be picked from locations in Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei states to Pagak and back to their respective destinations after the completion of their consultations.