A major nonprofit humanitarian organization said South Sudan needs a peace process that will hold for people to rebuild their lives after the devastating civil war.
On Saturday, South Sudan marked the fifth anniversary of the start of the civil war. The conflict has left hundreds of thousands of people dead, four million forced from their homes and over six million people severely hungry.
Ranjan Poudyal, Oxfam’s Country Director in South Sudan, said: "With the peace deal signed in September, there is at last some hope but it will take years for people to rebuild their lives.”
“The progress made at the peace table must be sustained and built on. The ordinary people who have suffered the worst of the conflict must gain the benefits of peace,” Poudyal added.
The humanitarian organization called on the country’s leaders to make clear commitments to invest any recovery in the economy in communities.
“They must give men and women real influence to shape the South Sudan they want. This includes being transparent about the peace process, encouraging public participation at every step, and promoting an environment where the media can engage freely and critically with its country's challenges." Oxfam said.