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UN chief hails appointment of ministers of transitional government in South Sudan

Xinhua, April 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday welcomed the appointment of ministers by South Sudanese President Salva Kiir to form the country's Transitional Government of National Unity.

Ban said that the appointment is consistent with the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan signed on Aug.17, 2015, said a statement issued here by Ban's spokesman.

The peace agreement ended a 21 month-long civil war, which has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions more after its outbreak in December 2013 in the capital of Juba.

"He (Ban) is pleased to note that President Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar have achieved this important milestone of the peace process and urges them to swiftly complete the establishment of all institutions of transition," the statement said. "He also urges the parties to cease immediately all hostilities."

The secretary-general commended Festus Mogae, chairman of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, and Alpha Omar Konare, the African Union high representative, for steering the peace process forward, and reiterated the commitment of the United Nations to support all South Sudanese in restoring peace, stability and prosperity in the country, said the statement.

"He calls on the larger international community to remain actively engaged in the peace process and provide the necessary support to the full and timely implementation of the Peace Agreement," the statement added.

Thursday's appointment of ministers is seen as a major step to form the long-awaited transitional government in the world's youngest country. The new government is to administer the country for the next two and a half years, pending elections.

The move came two days after Machar, South Sudan's armed opposition leader, returned to Juba. Machar was sworn in on Tuesday as the first vice president of South Sudan. Endi