The United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Saturday warned South Sudan’s warring factions for violating the recent peace deal.
In their joint meeting on the sidelines of the 30th AU summit in Ethiopia, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, Moussa Faki Mahamat, AU Commission Chairperson, and Hailemariam Desalegn, Current IGAD Chairperson and Ethiopian Prime Minister, called for compliance with the peace agreement.
According to the statement from the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the three parties have agreed on possible measures against parties that violate the agreement.
The South Sudanese government and opposition factions in December signed an Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.
The cease-fire agreement, brokered by IGAD, asked the warring parties to stop military operations, demands that forces remain in their bases and further called for release of political detainees.
According to the statement, the three organizations have “strongly condemned” the violation of the agreement by the parties involved.
Mahamat stressed the need to take actions on parties that violate the peace accord, according to the statement.
Guterres, who praised IGAD’s efforts in South Sudan’s peace process, also affirmed UN’s support to the East African block.
