President Salva Kiir has appealed to the youth to desist from threatening the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in South Sudan, adding such activities will destroy the humanitarian assistance efforts.

In his address to the nation on the 10^th Independence Day commemoration, the head of state acknowledged that unemployment among the youth is a major concern and promised that the government had plans to address it.

He revealed that a high-level committee had been formed by the council of ministers to probe the matter and come up with the remedial policies.

The committee is chaired by the First Vice President Dr Riek Machar and deputised by two vice presidents. The other members include the Minister of National Security, Mamur Obuto, Minister of Labour James Hoth Mai, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Peter Mayen, and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Albino Bol.

The committee was formed after a siege in Eastern Equatoria State where UN agencies and other NGOs faced threats from a group of local youth known as Monyomiji, who decried improper recruitment policies.

The youth reportedly served a 72-hour ultimatum for the agencies to vacate the area. But the tensions were countered by a curfew which was imposed in Torit town by the area governor.

Last week, Vice President in charge of youth and gender cluster Rebecca Nyandeng visited the area to quell tension. Similar problems have been expressed in other parts of the country such as Upper Nile State and Lakes State.