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Regional bloc urges warring parties in S. Sudan to maintain peace

Xinhua, December 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Africa's regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), on Wednesday urged the government and rebels in South Sudan to maintain peace and stability.

IGAD Executive Secretary Mahboub Maalim told Xinhua in Nairobi that the South Sudanese people have fought for independence for a long time and now deserve a peaceful life.

"All parties have signed the peace agreement that spells out what needs to be done for South Sudan to come back to stability," Maalim said on the sidelines of a press briefing on the humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa.

"Both the government and the rebels have agreed on the cause of war and on the need to avoid conflict so that peace returns to South Sudan," he said.

IGAD is spearheading the reconciliation of South Sudan, the world's newest state that has experienced instability since December 2013.

Leaders of the eight member states of IGAD have appointed Botswana's former President Festus Mogae to head the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission tasked with restoring peace in South Sudan.

Maalim said once the peace agreement was operationalized, South Sudan would begin its road towards recovery.

President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar have signed a number of peace agreements to end the hostilities.

Maalim said rebel officials had began going to the capital Juba in preparation for joining the government.

"Thereafter both parties will be required to jointly undertake political and security reforms and eventually carry out general elections," he said.

"In the meantime, skirmishes might occur, but this will not indicate there is war going on," he said.

According to the regional bloc, there are many individuals in South Sudan who still have ammunition and weapons and so fighting might not stop immediately.

Maalim said lack of complete peace in South Sudan was affecting the region.

"Neighboring countries are hosting a large number of refugees from South Sudan," he added. Endit