Ethiopia urges South Sudanese parties to support revitalization process

March 16, 2018 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia has urged South Sudanese stakeholders to support the regional efforts to end the bloody violence conflict which forced over 4 million people to flee their homes.

As the IGAD-mediated High-Level Revitalisation Forum (HLRF) on South Sudan is expected to resume during the upcoming days Ethiopia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hirut Zemene Friday discussed the process with members of the political operation.

“The State Minister underlined that Ethiopia supports the ongoing National Dialogue Forum, and further called upon the delegation to do all they can to support the IGAD-led South Sudan’s peace process,” reads a statement released by the foreign ministry after the meeting.

In return, the South Sudanese delegates “expressed their support to the ongoing Revitalization Forum and commended Ethiopia for its significant role in seeking a lasting peace in South Sudan,” further added the statement.

The statement didn’t identify the participants or their political affiliation, also it didn’t refer to the topic discussed in the meeting.

The Ethiopian-led mediation team decided to suspend the second phase of the revitalization process on 16 February and pledged to reconvene the discussions within two or three weeks.

The announcement was made after the failure of the parties to address crucial security and governance arrangements.

The African Union, the IGAD and the Troika facilitators have threatened to sanctions the warring parties if they continue to violate the cessation of hostilities agreement reached in December 2017.

Observers note that despite all, the belligerents have observed the truce even if the humanitarian access to the conflict-affected areas remains difficult.

(ST)