The South Sudanese presidency has rejected the imposition of targeted sanctions and called on the international community to give a chance to the government to bring about peace.

In an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Sunday, Presidential Press Secretary Ateny Wek Ateny said that the sections will negatively affect South Sudan at this time while the government is endeavouring to bring about peace.

He further said any kind of sanctions are futile. Ateny reiterated his government’s commitment to the peace process. He accused the SPLM-IO rebels of lacking seriousness toward peace.

"Sanctions do not bring peace, so it is advisable to give the government a chance to reach peace with the rebels instead of imposing the sanctions," he said.

Meanwhile, Pagan Amum, leader of the SPLM-G10 Former Detainees faction, said that South Sudan should face sanctions if the warring parties do not make peace. The former SPLM secretary-general said the claims that the targeted sections will not be effective are untrue.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj from, Nairobi, Amum stressed that the sanctions should target decision-makers in South Sudan so that they can be effective. He accused the two warring parties of lacking political will to bring about peace to the people of South Sudan.

Amum pointed out that his group is for peace talks that should include the warring parties, stakeholders, political parties and faith-based groups in South Sudan.

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU) on Saturday called on the UN Security Council to impose targeted sanctions on South Sudanese individuals undermining peace efforts or instigating violence and also urged the UN Security Council to consider an arms embargo.

File photo: Ateny Wek