NOUAKCHOTT, July 1, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – African Union chief Moussa Faki
Mahamat called Saturday for measures against the key players in the conflict
in South Sudan, saying “we are used to them not respecting their
commitments”.
“The situation in South Sudan is serious. The humanitarian and security
situation is increasingly difficult. The last few days we’ve had some good
news, which I unfortunately now have to question,” he said at an AU meeting
in Nouakchott.
Moussa Faki Mahamat was referring to an agreement reached Wednesday by
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and his arch-foe Riek Machar, which
appears already to be in jeopardy.
“We are now used to the key actors in South Sudan not respecting their
commitments… the situation is intolerable… It is time to act, to accept
our responsibility,” he said.
“We have to send a clear message to the players to respect their
commitments,” he added, warning of possible sanctions.
President Salva Kiir and Machar agreed, at talks in the Sudanese capital
Khartoum on Wednesday, to a “permanent” ceasefire to take effect within 72
hours, raising hopes of an end to four-and-a-half years of war.
But South Sudan rebels, led by former vice president Machar, on Saturday
accused the army of breaking the ceasefire just hours after it came into
force.
The conflict erupted in 2013, around two years after South Sudan won
independence from Sudan, when Kiir accused his then-deputy Machar of plotting
a coup.
It has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced four million people
and left the newly created country’s oil-rich economy in tatters.
Kiir and Machar signed the document — called the “Khartoum Declaration” –
– in the presence of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
The United Nations had given the two South Sudanese sides until the end of
June to find a viable political agreement or face sanctions.