Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (2nd R) meets with South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit (1st R), Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni (2nd L) and South Sudan Opposition Leader Riek Machar (1st L) in Khartoum, Sudan, June 25, 2018. (Xinhua/Mohamed Khidir)
JUBA, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said on Friday the newly signed permanent ceasefire deal will help hasten delivery of humanitarian assistance to the affected communities in the country.
David Shearer, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UNMISS, said the deal reached in Khartoum on Wednesday has injected new momentum, and the mission is very encouraged by the development.
"I see this agreement as more of a framework for moving forward but a positive starting point for comprehensive and sustainable peace agreement, a detail of what will be negotiated over the coming weeks," Shearer told journalists in Juba.
He called on warring factions to recommit themselves to the agreement, saying there is no way parties can build peace in the middle of persistent violence in the country.
"If warring parties can then build on that ceasefire to ensure that it persists then we have a window where parties feel there is faith on all side to be able to sit down to determine what are other issues," said Shearer.
The agreement which was inked between President Salva Kiir and rebel leader, Riek Machar, declares a permanent ceasefire, and states that the parties will "agree on all the ceasefire arrangements including disengagement, separation of forces in close proximity, withdrawal of allied troops, opening of humanitarian corridors and release of prisoners of war and political detainees," all within 72 hours.
The parties also agreed on a "self-monitoring mechanism" as part of the deal and the agreement also invites regional bloc, IGAD and African Union member states to deploy the necessary forces to supervise the ceasefire
Shearer said the permanent ceasefire will enable UN and humanitarian organizations to safely reach families and communities with life-saving aids, and more importantly help people themselves to cultivate and live in peace and rebuild their lives.
Meanwhile, Machar has declared a permanent ceasefire with the government, hours after President Kiir had ordered his troops to respect the deal.
According to the order, the permanent ceasefire across South Sudan will take effect from Saturday and also directed his forces to strictly observe the declared permanent ceasefire across the country.
