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New South Sudan Ceasefire Subject To Sanctions

New South Sudan Ceasefire Subject To Sanctions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q54fj580Avk

South Sudan rebels and the government have agreed to end fighting and form a transitional government within 60 days, subject to sanctions by their neighbors if they fail to abide by the agreement, according to a WorldNewsTV video.

South Sudan is the world’s newest country, achieving independence in 2011 after seceding from Sudan.

The ceasefire agreement came after a rare meeting between South Sudan President Salva
Kiir and rebel chief Riek Machar in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development, or IGAD, mediated the conflict, threatening sanctions if the warring factions don’t abide by the agreement. IGAD consists of six countries in the Horn of Africa — Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. IGAD was formed in 1983 and 1984 through the U.N. to establish an intergovernmental body for development and drought control in the region.

Previous deals to end the civil war in South Sudan have been broken by both sides, most recently on May 9, compounding the worsening humanitarian crisis, the report said.

Thousands of people have died in the conflict that started as a political dispute between Kiir and Machar, his former deputy, whom he fired. Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup. Machar denied the allegation, then marshaled a rebel army to fight the government.

The battle took on ethnic overtones, with Machar relying heavily on fighters from his Nuer ethnic group and Kiir from his Dinka community.

More than a million people have fled their homes since fighting began in December, the report said. Almost four million people in South Sudan now risk starvation, according to the U.N.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn announced the new agreement Tuesday after Kiir and Machar met on the sidelines of an IGAD summit.

“If they don’t abide to this agreement, IGAD as an organisation will act to implement peace in South Sudan. On that, we have different options including sanctions and (other) punitive actions as well,” Desalegn said. “There has been a growing tendency to continue with the war.”

It is the first time South Sudan’s neighbors have issued a warning of sanctions, reflecting a growing frustrating with the South Sudanese leaders, the report said.

The U.S. has already imposed sanctions on both sides of the conflict, singling out commanders loyal to both Kiir and Machar.

Desalegn criticized both sides for breaking the May 9 ceasefire.