September 23rd 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – United Kingdoms aid agencies said on Friday that the recently signed revitalized peace agreement needs a political will from the signatories to prosper to fully end the ongoing civil war in the young African country.
In a joint statement issued in Friday to mark the International Day of Peace, the British aid agencies said securing a long-term peace in the young African country require more formal agreement but did not specify whether the signed one will be ineffective.
“While it is vital to secure an agreement to end armed conflict, there needs to be political will to engage positively in the support of peace. Securing long-term peace in South Sudan requires more than a formal agreement,” the statement partly read.
The statement said a long-term peace deal would only be possible when the grievances at the grass root and the root causes of the ongoing conflict in the country are addressed.
“Ultimately any signed agreement can only deliver lasting peace if it is supported and connected with long-term transformational changes at the community level, which address grievances fueling conflict and the causes of disaffection and disenfranchisement,” the statement said.
The humanitarian organizations reiterated their commitment to standing in solidarity with the people of South Sudan, particularly women and children who are still bearing the brunt of the conflict stressing that lasting and sustainable peace is the top priority for the civil population in the country.
“Peace is the first and foremost priority to our partners and the communities we work with in South Sudan. We want to reiterate our solidarity with South Sudanese women, men, boys and girls who bear the brunt of the devastating conflict which broke out in December 2013,” the statement further said adding that “We are gravely concerned about the continuation of violence which has forced more than 4.3 million people to flee their homes.”
They further deplored the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country in which over 2.4 million children in South Sudan are out of school and thousands others risk being deprived of their rights to education if the situation continues. the partners called on South Sudan warring principals to treat the implementation of the agreement as a priority.
“The conflict has led to 7 million people in South Sudan requiring humanitarian assistance. Up to 2.4 million children are out of school in the country – the highest proportion of out of school children in the world,” it said.
“In the wake of the signing of the peace agreement last week, all sides need to immediately stop all hostile and violent action. The implementation of the peace agreement should be a key priority for all parties and any other interests should be put aside,” the statement concluded.
