Highlights:
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon held talks with South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and Rebel leader and recently re-appointed vice president Riek Machar on his official trip to South Sudan
Ban Ki-Moon urged the two leaders to honor the terms of the peace agreement signed in August 2015 that ended the 2-year civil war to ensure stability and growth for the world’s youngest state.
Summary:
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on his official Eastern African tour held talks with the South Sudan’s Salva Kiir and Riek Machar barely a week since Machar was reappointed as the country’s vice president in line with the peace accord signed in August 2015.
Ban Ki-Moon urged the two leaders to honor the terms of the peace agreement that ended the 2-year civil war in South Sudan. He further appealed to the 2 to keep peace, security and stability above selfish politics and establish the agreed upon government of national unity.
Ban Ki-Moon said, “Respecting the terms of the peace agreement is not an option, it is a must”.
Kiir has significantly expressed his commitment to the peace accord after reappointing Machar as vice president and making arrangements for troops allied to Machar to return to Juba. Machar is yet to return to South Sudan citing security concerns.
The two leaders have been urged to cultivated mutual trust that will help guide people loyal to them to thaw the tension, contempt and mistrust they have for each other. The mutual trust built between the two leaders will help them to refocus their energies in addressing the humanitarian and economic crisis that has rocked South Sudan.
A falling out between Kiir and Machar plunged the countries into civil war two years ago after a political stalemate spilled over into violent rebellion that claimed the lives of tens of thousands and millions displaced characterized by massive human rights violation.
