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South Sudan accepts deployment of regional troops

Xinhua, November 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

South Sudanese government has agreed to the deployment of 4,000 extra regional protection force (RPF) pursuant to UN Security Council resolution 2304 in August.

The Council of Ministers during their meeting on Friday said the extra forces are meant to join an existing 13,000 blue helmets serving under the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) tasked with protection of civilians and UN installations in the war-torn country.

Deputy government Spokesperson Paul Akol Kordit told reporters in Juba that the transitional unity government has resolved all pending issues with the United Nations and have agreed "immediate" deployment of the RPF.

"The cabinet has resolved unanimously to allow the deployment of the regional protection force anytime from now," Kordit said.

However, the official did not divulge more details about when and where in the capital the force would be deployed.

Juba had earlier rejected the Security Council proposal, calling it "intervention" but later softened its stance and called for dialogue with the UN.

Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, also echoed the acceptance message to the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), the body tasked with monitoring the country's peace deal.

"All outstanding issues related to the deployment had been resolved with the United Nations and that deployment of the RPF could commence with immediate effect," Lomuro said.

JMEC said in a statement on Saturday that the decision to move forward with immediate deployment of the RPF is critical to providing a secure and safe environment in Juba and creating an enabling environment for the implementation of the peace agreement.

South Sudan has faced ongoing challenges since a political face-off between President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar erupted into full-blown conflict in December 2013. The crisis has produced one of the world's worst displacement situations with immense suffering for civilians.

Despite the August 2015 peace agreement that formally ended the war, conflict and instability have also spread to previously unaffected areas in the Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr-El-Ghazal regions of South Sudan.

Tens of thousands have been killed and more than two million displaced since late 2013, according to the UN. Endit