The Joint Defense Board has forwarded the proposed names to be included in the unified commands to the principals of the agreement for review and waiting directives for announcement of its formation.

The Joint Defense Board is a body tasked to ensuring that the cantonment, training, unification and deployment of forces is completed.

Earlier last week, Angelina Teny the Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs was quoted saying to one of the local media that they concluded discussions on the make-up of the unified commands and is waiting directives from the principals to announce its formation.

“The board comprising of senior Generals from the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), Sudan People Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) and South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) has forwarded the proposed names of top leadership to the principals of the agreement for review,” she was quoted.

When contacted for clarity, Col. Paul Lam Gabriel the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs said the board is only mandated to make sure they proposed the names and hand over to the principals.

“The issue of the Joint Defense Board (JDB) completing the formation of unified commands is in place but of course when it comes to who is supposed to go to which position, it is the responsibility of the principals,” said Col. Lam.

He revealed that what the JDB does is to make sure the names are proposed accordingly, adding that the parties will only propose their names to their various principals and the principal will now choose who should be and in which position.

“What I know is that the JDB has completed its work as well as part of its concern, what is left now is for the Presidency who the principals to come up with the confirmation of the positions,” he stressed.

He explained, for instance which party should take the chief of defense forces (CDF), the Inspector General for Police (IGP) and Director General for National Security and External Affairs and up to the level of directors if they are there, the same applies to the commands on ground.

“Yes the board has resolved negotiations on the make-up of the unified commands and it is upon the principals to announce its formation simply because we do not have that authority to give timeframe to the principals,” he emphasized.

He said the formation of the unified commands is the way forward for the unification of unified forces hence the graduation of those forces.

Col. Lam added that the unified commands will be responsible for overseeing the deployment and activities of the necessary unified forces.

He said currently the team comprising of Joint Defense Board, supported by the Strategic Defense and Security Review Board and other partners to the peace agreement, is assessing the training centers to know the exact number of soldiers at each center.

However, he said there was a need for the unification and deployment of the forces to ensure the stability of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity, once formed.