South Sudan’s conflict has to end in order to give the peace process “a better chance of success,” the visiting top UN peacekeeping official said yesterday.
In the South Sudanese capital, Juba, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix met with senior government officials including the First Vice-President Taban Deng Gai, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deng Alor and the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Martin Elia Lomuro, as well as other ministers.
Lacrroix said that there was a “shared understanding” with the government that actions and initiatives to advance peace are important and that they have to be put in place to accelerate the implementation of the peace agreement and bring sustainable peace to the world's youngest nation.
Lacroix underlined that the peace process could not move forward if fighting continued.
The UN peacekeeping chief commended efforts made by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and neighbouring countries, such as Uganda, to revitalize the implementation of the 2015 peace deal and to bring stakeholders together.
“The UN is here to help move forward efforts to achieve peace in South Sudan and to help the people of South Sudan,” said Lacroix.
“UN humanitarian agencies are doing their best to help South Sudanese and we look forward to further cooperation with the Government so that we can access populations in distress wherever the needs are,” he added.