South Sudan agrees to stop fighting, set up transitional government

Originally posted in World Watch Monitor

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South Sudan has agreed to end fighting and pledged to set up a transitional government within 60 days and to resolve the conflict that’s caused a massive humanitarian crisis –resulting in thousands being killed and more than 1 million people fleeing their homes since December.

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In a rare meeting between the South Sudanese political rivals, President Salva Kiir and rebel chief Riek Machar agreed to end the fighting and set up a new government. The talk was held in Ethiopia’s capital and mediated by East Africa’s regional bloc Intergovernmental Authority on Development. “They agreed to complete the dialogue process within the coming 60 days on what, how, when and who… to the formation of a transitional government of national unity,” Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn told media on Tuesday, June 10.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development has threatened sanctions if Kiir and Machar fail to abide by the agreement since previous deals to end the violence have been broken by both sides, most recently in May, causing the country to descend further into crisis.

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This is the first time South Sudan’s neighbours have issued such a warning, reflecting the region’s frustration.

“There has been a growing tendency to continue with the war,” Desalegn said while criticising both sides for breaking the May 9 ceasefire.

The United States has already imposed sanctions on both sides of the conflict. On June 12 it condemned attacks by the Sudanese government on civilians in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states saying they have been deliberately targeting hospitals and schools. The United Nations has warned of a famine that could effect around as many as 4 million people if the situation doesn’t improve.