Information Minister Michael Makuei. (Photo: Lou Nelson/Eye Radio).

Parties to the Nairobi peace process are expected on Monday to respond to a summary report of their presentations to start real negotiations, said the government spokesperson.

The over 70-page document covering discussions on political governance, economic and social issues, justice, and security arrangements was presented to the parties by the mediators on Thursday.

The parties presented their positions to the mediation team in May 2024.

The mediation team have studied the party position documents and summarized their viewpoints in one document which will be transformed into an agreement.

“This document is inclusive of the four items which we discussed and on which we made presentations. They have summarized them and they have been presented to the parties, so that the parties can come up with their observations on this document.”

Makuei said the real negotiations will now start on Monday.

“It is this document that will be transformed into an agreement, the parties have received the document and we will look into them, it is a bulky document.”

“So we have requested three days and that on Monday the parties will be making presentation on responses to this document as the time goes.”

“I can say as of now we have started the real talks because after this it will be by shuttling, there will be no direct negotiations, but will be through shuttling up to the time when the first draft of the agreement is produced.”

Meanwhile, a civil society activist has called on participants of the Tumaini Initiative to seek views and contributions of other South Sudanese who are not part in the peace process.

Lorna Merekaje – the Secretary General of South Sudan Democratic Engagement, Monitoring and Observation Program, said the concerns of those outside the ongoing peace process should also be considered.

She called on participants of the peace process to avoid limiting the talks only to those attending.

Merekaje also called on South Sudanese to look at the peace initiative as an opportunity to give hope for the country.

“I want to say to those who are participating in the Tumaini process that we know it is not everybody in Tumaini process should know that they alone cannot build South Sudan,” he said.

“The Tumaini process should have an open ear to listen to concerns and contributions from South Sudanese from outside the process, from outside the hotel.”

Ms. Merekaje also called on parties to the Nairobi peace process not to lose the opportunity but rather use it to address issues that were left out in previous processes.

“Tumaini is a peace negotiation process and it is not different. It is following the path or the structure of peace negotiation. So my hope is that indeed Tumaini addresses the issue of hope for people of South Sudan.”

“I think tumaini is an opportunity that we should not lose, tumaini is indeed an opportunity for people of South Sudan to address the things that we had not addressed.”