Bashir calls to involve all South Sudan parties in peace implementation

December 9, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir called to involve all the signatories of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) in the implementation process of the peace deal.

According to the official Sudan news agency (SUNA), al-Bashir made his call during a meeting of the IGAD heads of states and governments in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, to discuss the situation in South Sudan and the postponement of presidential election in Somalia.

The Sudanese president said his country is supportive to the efforts for peace in South Sudan pointing that it was part of the Sudan.

“We were one nation and brothers and we have a responsibility.” He added, “Sudan harbours his South Sudanese brothers who enjoy all the rights of the Sudanese nationals.”

“The peace in South Sudan implies to involve everyone in the (implementation of) the agreement that they signed. There will be a partial peace,” he stressed.

Last October , President Salva Kiir said peace can only be implemented with his current first vice-president Taban Deng Gai.

He further said Machar should stop violence and remain outside the country during transitional national unity government era or return to South Sudan as a normal citizen.

The IGAD leaders agreed to work for an inclusive process and to speed up the deployment of the regional protection force as Juba now accepts it deployment without conditions.

They further called on Kenya to reconsider its decision to withdraw its troops from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) after UN chief Ban Ki-moon sacked the Kenyan commander of the peacekeeping force.

Sudanese foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour said the meeting emphasised on the need to return the war affected people, internally displaced and refugees, to their home areas and stop the fighting in the country.

(ST)