Off the wire
• Moody's said Cyprus economy to be impacted by Brexit  • News Analysis: Rising U.S. racial tensions could benefit Trump's presidential campaign  • Slovakia to promote ratification of Paris Treaty this year  • Czech to send smallest team in history to Rio Olympic Games  • Austria to reach 2016 asylum application intake limit in Autumn: minister  • Austrian gov't mulls demolition of Hitler's birth home  • Bicycling may help prevent type 2 diabetes: study  • Frankfurt loan Vallejo from Real Madrid  • News Analysis: Tourism mega-merger latest stride in SOE reform  • Roundup: Officials press for urgent approach to crack down on counterfeit goods  
You are here: 　 Home

AU envoys call for lasting solution to South Sudan's conflict

Xinhua, July 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

African Union (AU) permanent representatives have urged the warring factions in South Sudan to end conflict.

They made the remarks on Tuesday at the sidelines of the ongoing 27th African Union (AU) summit in Rwanda's Capital, Kigali.

Rwanda hosts the summit from July 10th to 18th under the theme; "2016: African Year of Human Rights, with particular focus on the Rights of Women."

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of 32nd ordinary session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), Cherif Mahamat Zene, Chad's ambassador to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the AU urged South Sudan leaders to find lasting solution to the ongoing conflict.

"We want to see peace and tranquility in South Sudan. We want to see people's suffering in conflict come to an end," he said.

Since Thursday last week, renewed clashes broke out in the South Sudanese capital, Juba between forces of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir, and the SPLA in Opposition (SPLA-IO) loyal to Vice President Riek Machar.

Hundreds of soldiers have been killed on both sides for the cause none of the two leaders could explain including two Chinese peacekeepers while thousands of civilians fled the capital.

According to Smail Chergui, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, AU is worried by the heavy fighting between rival factions in South Sudan which threatens regional stability.

"The two leaders should amicably end this conflict in the interests of peace, security and stability of their country. We urge South Sudan leadership in strongest possible terms to end this bloodshed, and focus on the economic and social transformation of the country for a better future of South Sudanese," he stressed.

UN Security Council has also strongly condemned the attack, calling on both parties to "immediately" end all such attacks and fully adhere to 2015 peace agreement.

Since 2013 civil war more than one-third of South Sudan's 12 million population is dependent on humanitarian assistance and about two million have fled, according to UNHCR.

South Sudan conflict is expected to be at the top of the agenda during the 27th African Union (AU) summit that opened on Sunday in Kigali. Enditem