Vice President James Wani Igga has called for troops everywhere in South Sudan to stop fighting, saying the ongoing violence is breeding suspicion about whether the parties are genuinely committed to peace.

The government and main armed opposition SPLA-IO signed a peace deal last August but afterwards violence spread to Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal.

Igga said today, “There is need for us in South Sudan to totally cease fire, according to the agreement, everywhere, we must cease fire, so that we can begin to develop the trust and confidence.”

“But when shooting is going on here and there, even the suspicion becomes more. Are we really genuine?”

The vice president was speaking at Freedom Hall at the launch of a development report by UNDP, a UN agency that works primarily for economic development.

Igga urged commanders to “punish everybody who goes against your orders,” stressing the need to respect the cessation of hostilities.

“We must have peace, otherwise... there is going to be no economic development, there is going to be no social development.”