South Sudan leaders agree deal to end conflict
Signing the cessation of hostilities treaty over the war in South Sudan on May 9, 2014 in Addis Ababa. South Sudan President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar have agreed to a deal to end conflict without conditions. PHOTO | ZACHARIAS ABUBEKER
What you need to know:
- Igad, however, accepted the request by parties to the South Sudan conflict to be allowed a further 15 days to iron out the remaining outstanding issues.
- Dr Machar said he was happy that an agreement had been reached that would enable South Sudan to pursue peace.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar have agreed to an Inter-governmental Authority on Development (Igad)-brokered deal to end conflict without conditions.
The two South Sudan leaders on Saturday agreed to immediately stop recruitment and mobilisation of civilians.
They agreed to a resolution that any violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement would invite stern interventions to protect life and restore peace and stability.
These would include freeze of assets owned by the violators, travel bans and blocking supply of materials that could be used in war.
The talks leading to the deal started on Thursday running through Friday into the wee hours of Saturday morning in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and were steered by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who were part of the Igad Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
The presidents of Uganda, Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia and African Union (AU) Commission chair Dlamini-Zuma Nkosana also attended the assembly, as well as the representatives of the United Nations, China, Denmark, Japan, European Union, Norway, United Kingdom and the United States
REQUEST BY PARTIES
Igad, however, accepted the request by parties to the South Sudan conflict to be allowed a further 15 days to iron out the remaining outstanding issues.
Igad leaders called on the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC), the United Nations Security Council and the entire international community to support the enforcement of the Addis Ababa resolutions.
Speaking after the resolutions were read out by Ethiopia’s special envoy for South Sudan, Seyoum Mesfin, President Salva Kiir and his former Vice President thanked IGAD and affirmed their commitment to an end to the suffering of the people of Africa’s youngest nation.
“As ordered by Igad, I call upon all forces in South Sudan – especially SPLM/A and all other lethal forces – to remain in their barracks and only act in self-defense if attacked,” President Kiir said.
Dr Machar said he was happy that an agreement had been reached that would enable South Sudan to pursue peace.
