The United Nations, African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Saturday warned South Sudan’s warring factions against violating the recent peace deal.
The three bodies called for compliance with the agreement following a joint meeting on the sidelines of the 30th AU Summit in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.
IGAD chairperson Hailemariam Desalegn through a statement released by the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the three parties had 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.
South Sudan has been dogged by war since December 2013, following accusations by President Salva Kiir that his then-deputy Riek Machar was plotting a coup against his government. Machar denied the allegations but then went on to mobilize a rebel force to fight the government.
The war has killed thousands and displaced millions, prompting the UN in early 2017 to rank South Sudan as Africa’s biggest refugee crisis.
A peace deal signed in 2015 – from which the December 2017 agreement was drawn from – sought to create a unity government as the country worked towards an election. It never lasted long however as rival factions often clashed in battles to control towns across the country.
The Saturday statement said AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres were in support of action being taken against violators of the peace deal.
