IGAD envoy to intensify efforts to assist South Sudan parties to make compromises

The East African regional bloc IGAD, which has been mediating South Sudan’s peace talks in Addis Ababa, said the Chairperson and Members of IGAD Council of Ministers will engage the warring parties and intensify their efforts to assist the parties to make the necessary compromises that will resolve the outstanding issues.

The second round of peace talks between delegations aligned to South Sudanese president Salva Kiir and opposition groups was suspended temporarily after the parties reached a deadlock on governance and security arrangements on Friday, underlining the mammoth challenge of putting an end to South Sudan's four-year civil war.

In a statement extended to Radio Tamazuj on Saturday, the regional bloc said its especial envoy for South Sudan, Ismail Wais will undertake specific missions related to the peace process.

“On the basis of these consultations, the forum will be reconvened to complete the deliberations,” partly reads the statement.

“As they continue their engagements, the Parties are deeply conscious of the need to bring to an end the suffering of the people of South Sudan,” adds the statement.

IGAD pointed out that South Sudan parties reaffirmed their commitment to the revitalization of the 2015 peace accord, and pledged that they will refrain from any actions that might undermine the successful completion of the revitalization process.