After a week of a bloody conflict between the government forces and rebels in South Sudan, Intergovernmental Authority on Development member states are upping pressure on President Salva Kiir and his rival Riek Machar to begin face-to-face dialogue and cease all forms of violence.

An extraordinary session of Igad, held in Nairobi on December 27, 2013, resolved to continue pursuing a “political solution” to the crisis, with indications of a power-sharing deal in the offing.

The session, chaired by Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, told protagonists in the conflict to hold face-to-face talks by December 31, 2013. They must also ensure protection of civilians and humanitarian workers.

The session was attended by Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Ismail Omar Guelleh (Djibouti), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia). Also in attendance was Bakri Hassan Saleh (First Vice President, Republic of Sudan), Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin (Minister for Foreign Affairs, South Sudan), Mahboub Maalim (Executive Secretary, IGAD) and Erastus Mwencha (Deputy Chairman, African Union Commission).

READ: Igad to lead peace efforts in Juba conflict

And, while the leaders condemned attempts to change the constitutional order in the country through violence, they asked the government to review the status of those detained over the coup “in recognition of their role in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Sudan.”

Both sides have indicated they want to hold talks but the Machar camp has insisted the government must first release political prisoners, saying the prisoners are part of the solution. Some of them, such as former SPLM secretary-general Pagan Amum, are expected to lead negotiations on Dr Machar’s side.

Highhandedness

President Kiir’s government has been accused by his opponents of highhandedness, tribalism and corruption and working outside the ruling Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement party structures.

He has been accused of stifling the secretariat, the National Liberation Council and the Political Bureau of the party. Analysts say peace could be restored if the president allows the reorganisation of SPLM and allows party structures to operate.

The UN Security Council has also increased the size of its peacekeeping force in South Sudan to help protect civilians from violence, following a resolution by the Security Council to send an additional 5,500 peacekeepers to bolster the UN Mission in South Sudan (Unmiss), which already has about 7,000 members.

READ: UN to approve big troop increase for South Sudan

The peacekeepers are authorised to use force to carry out their mandate to protect civilians and facilitate delivery of humanitarian aid to the tens of thousands of civilians needing help due to displacement.

Meanwhile, the conflict is now centred on oil resources after forces loyal to Dr Machar claimed to have taken the two oil-rich states of Unity and Jonglei.

Dr Machar declared plans to halt oil revenue remittances from his home state of Unity to the capital Juba, saying he would establish an extra account to which the oil revenues will be remitted.

Unity contains about 70 per cent of the country’s oil resources, while Jonglei is the biggest state in South Sudan and the home area of the former rebel leader, Dr John Garang.

Govt in control

However, Juba maintained that the government was still in control of the country’s oil fields, even as President Kiir admitted that the rebels were in control of the two key states.

“Machar now has control over Jonglei State and he has control over Unity State. These are the two states that he has control over. How many states do we have? We have 10 states. And if you control two states you will still be in the minority,” President Kiir told parliament on the seventh day of conflict.

The country is just emerging from a one-year-long shutdown of oil production after it accused Khartoum of detaining remittances from oil and illegally diverting the resource.

Oil and other mineral resources can be found throughout South Sudan, but the area around Bentiu reputed to be especially rich in oil, while Jonglei, Warrap, and Lakes have potential reserves.

ALSO READ: Anxiety engulfs EA: Will South Sudan hold?