UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging the parties to the South Sudanese peace agreement to form the transitional government without delay following the expected return of Riek Machar to Juba.

Ban issued a statement from New York yesterday welcoming the international proposal on the numbers of troops and weapons that Riek Machar may bring with him to Juba on arrival. The proposal was accepted by SPLM-IO on Thursday and by the government on Friday.

“The Secretary-General is hopeful that this will enable the swift formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity, and the full implementation of the country’s peace agreement,” said Ban.

“Maintaining a spirit of cooperation will be crucial as the country’s leaders begin the work of reversing the years of destruction this conflict has brought upon the people of South Sudan,” he added.

Ban urged First Vice President-designate Riek Machar to return to Juba without delay and without further conditions, which he said “could jeopardize the fragile peace process.”