The warring parties in South Sudan have signed a document committing themselves to respect humanitarian access corridors while also agreeing to ‘consider’ a month of calm.
Diplomatic pressure from neighboring Ethiopia and the United States failed to quell fierce fighting over the weekend, but resulted in a signing ceremony on Monday recommitting the two parties to some terms of the earlier signed Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.
“We the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) and the SPLM/A-in-Opposition recommit to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed between the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition on 23rd January 2014 in its provisions on humanitarian access,” reads an agreement signed today in Addis Ababa.
The relevant provisions in the 23rd January agreement commit the two sides to allow free movement of persons and goods, allow the opening of humanitarian corridors, allow for decent burials and memorialization of the dead, and allow reunions of separated families.
According to the document signed by heads of delegation Nhial Deng and Taban Deng, the parties “immediately recommit to open humanitarian corridors” including the Nile River, the Sobat River, and road and air access from neighboring countries.
The parties also agreed to “consider one month of tranquility form 7th May to 7th June in order to pre-position humanitarian supplies and enable the people of South Sudan to plant their food crops, care for their livestock and move to areas of safety.”
Document: The original Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, signed 23 January 2014