The Minister of Cabinet Affairs has called on the parties to the peace agreement to end “political game” on the number and boundaries of states.

On Monday, the IGAD bloc, convened a two-day consultative meeting for the peace parties to determine the number and boundaries of states.

The number and boundaries of the states are among the tasks that were meant to be completed within the pre-transitional period.

Recently the two principals, President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar extended for the second time the pre-transitional period by 100 days to allow for the completion of the remaining tasks.

The parties failed to implement the security arrangement such as cantonment of forces, screening, reunification, deployment and the agreement on the number of states and their boundaries during the first transitional period that ended in May.

Speaking to Eye Radio on the sidelines of the meeting, Dr. Martin Elia, who is also the secretary-general of the National Pre-transitional Committee, believes that the parties are going to reach an agreement if they end the “political game.”

“If people are not looking for political scores, if people are looking for logic, we can reach a deal because the 32 states are in existence. It does not harm anybody after all and we are going to divide these states among ourselves as parties,” Dr Elia stressed.

“There are states that will be run by IO, there are states that will be ruled by SSOA and there are states that will be run by the government. So what we are trying to do is to have a temporary solution. We should end this political game.”

During the two-day meeting, the parties are expected to present their statement on the number and boundaries of states, and reach a consensus.

The consultative meeting is facilitated by the South African Deputy President, David Mabuza.