Nigeria has called for establishment of cantonment for the soldiers of the different factions in South Sudan, this it believes will lead to permanent peace.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, made the call Wednesday in New York at the end of revitalisation meeting on peace agreement between the warring parties in South Sudan.
The meeting was part of the activities at the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York.
South Sudan was engulfed in violence in December 2013 when internal wrangles within its ruling party SPLM turned violent.
The conflict had since led to displacement of millions of people.
On August 5, the warring parties in South Sudan signed an agreement, which initiated the formation of another power-sharing government.
The previous power-sharing government collapsed in July 2016, and the violence since then spread throughout the country.
Onyeama said:“What I pointed out was the issue of cantonment of the soldiers of the different factions.
“That is it is absolutely important to maintain a body that will supervise and ensure that they are well and securely cantoned and trying to form national army out of that
“We know it is going to cost money, resources have to be made available and we have to build trust and the culture of discipline has to be restored.
“So, the international community agreed that we have to remain very vigilant and encourage the parties that have come together to ensure that the peace agreement is maintained.”
The warring parties, he said, were South Sudan President Salva Kiir, and South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar.
The minister explained that the meeting was attended by the countries of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) plus.
He said that the countries comprises the nations around South Sudan like Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Sudan itself as well as UK, EU, US. and Chad Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa.
According to him, these are the countries that have been trying to help to broker peace in South Sudan and maintain the peace.
He said that the Wednesday meeting was to discuss the way forward and how to maintain peace in South Sudan.
“We have seen a lot of agreements in the past but were not maintained, that they have to go back into fighting most often the women and children are the most affected people
“The main challenge is to maintain the peace because we have seen so many agreements in the past that have all been broken and all led to huge loss of lives and property.
“The parties have agreed to maintain peace but we have to be vigilant.
“We have seen in the past that three months or four months into it, they will break it; so that is a real challenge this time,” he said.
Onyeama said that most of the countries that are big players in peace broker in South Sudan are working round the clock to keep the peace.
According to him, Uganda is a big player, Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia, they have a regional force there.
“Countries like Nigeria, Algeria, Chad South Africa, U.S. Norway, UK, EU, UN are all working together to keep the peace,” he said.
NAN
