ADDIS ABABA – It counts a solid year since South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir signed a peace deal with Riek Machar, formally ending a five-year war that has killed tens of thousands.
The then deal mediated by Sudan and signed in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, reinstated Machar in his former role as Vice President and comes two weeks after a peace deal was officially agreed upon between the government and the groups.
As per the agreement, the formation of a unity government in May 2019 was not actualized. At the same time steps toward key interim benchmarks – unifying a national army and drawing internal boundaries – are lagging far behind schedule.
The efforts did not gone the way it was planned rather lead to another chapter of hate and displacement of civilians losing many lives.
Following recent South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir signing peace deal with leader Riek Machar, The Ethiopian Herald approached officials to have their say with regard to Ethiopia’s role in sustaining and strengthening the South Sudan’s peace deal and ensuring stability in the region.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Nebiyat Getachew said that the trucein South Sudan is holding in line with Roadmap of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
The great challenge was the two South Sudan political figures could not come together. Luckily, in the past weeks, Riek Machar came to Juba.
Ethiopia is committed to work with member of IGAD to sustain the peace deal to fruition and it will keep on supporting the peace deal. Just in case the parties face difficulties, Ethiopia will open platform to resolve differences.
“We will work to implement the set goals in line with IGAD Roadmap to create unified army, work with all member states to let the internal borders of South Sudan regional states marked and camping soldiers under the unified military sentiment be actualized.
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti, Permanent Representative to AU, IGAD and UNECA James Pitia Morgan for his part noted that Ethiopia has demonstrated greater effort to ensure peace in South Sudan.
The two nations have been working in collaboration in various areas including fighting children abductions. The security forces of both nations had been working hand in glove to let the children return home.
South Sudan and Ethiopia share responsibilities to ensure peace and stability in the border line and in the region. “We took the same stand in IGAD to restore peace and stability in region and beyond.”
The peace deal that was signed a year ago in Addis Ababa confirms Ethiopia’s endeavors to restore peace in South Sudan,
The government works in unity because ‘United we stand, divided we fall.’ This is the moment we had been waiting for. The effort of IGAD has yielded results and a new chapter is opened that could benefit South Sudan people and the region.
The people of South Sudan are tired of the conflicts and the two parties seem acknowledge it. Riek Machar’s senior officers had come to work with President Salva Kiir and he will take his position of Vice President. In December new unified government will be inaugurated. He remarked.
The Ethiopian Herald Sept 25 /2019
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
