July 1st 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – The African Union chief, Moussa Faki, while making remarks during the 31st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) heads of state and governments in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott, threatened punitive measures against perpetrators of the recently reported violation of the permanent ceasefire violations in Mlboro in the former Western Bhar Al-Ghazal State.
“The situation in South Sudan is serious. The humanitarian and security situation is increasingly difficult. The last few days we’ve had some good news, which I unfortunately now have to question,” he told the gathering said.
The African Union chief said the African organization have noted that the South Sudanese parties are not living up to their commitments and the situation can not be tolerated anymore.
“We are now used to the key actors in South Sudan not respecting their commitments… the situation is intolerable… It is time to act, to accept our responsibility,” he said.
South Sudan warring parties traded accusations in the morning hours after the agreed permanent ceasefire went into effect on Saturday and today, 1 July, fighting broke out in Kajo-Keji in Central Equatoria with rebels accusing the government of attacking their defensive position.
South Sudan leaders, President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, beside representatives of other opposition groups, signed a framework agreement in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum on Wednesday and agreed on some substantial issues including reaching the consensus to work together again for the third time. The two leaders, Kiir and Machar, reiterated their commitments in the presence of the regional leaders to bring the country’s civil war to an immediate end.
On Friday, the Troika countries, namely Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States commended the Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s (IGAD) peace efforts and vowed to seek punitive measures at the UN Security Security Council should the warring factions fail to respect the framework agreements.
“The new ceasefire does not negate the need to respond to the continued and repeated serious violations by all sides of the December 2017 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA)” said the TROIKA countries in a joint statement seen by the Nyamilepedia.
The western powers promised to seek all measures to return the region to peace and security including consequences for peace spoilers.
“We will continue to seek measures at the UN Security Council to return the region to peace and security, including consequences for spoilers to the peace process. The International Community therefore stands ready to support action by IGAD and the African Union to signal an end to impunity by delivering punitive measures against those responsible” further said the join statement.
