Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing’oei, emphasized the critical importance of adhering to the provisions of the R-ARCSS to bring an end to years of devastating conflict.
By Lodu William
The Kenyan government yesterday (on Thursday) urged all parties involved in the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) to take immediate and decisive action to prevent the escalation of hostilities.
This appeal followed the growing concerns over the reported house arrest of the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, the leader of the main opposition to the peace agreement.
Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing’oei, emphasized the critical importance of adhering to the provisions of the R-ARCSS to bring an end to years of devastating conflict.
“A very concerning development. We implore all parties to the R-ARCSS in South Sudan to do more to prevent an escalation of hostilities,” Sing’oei said in an official statement on Thursday.
Reports indicated that a convoy of heavily armed vehicles entered Machar’s residence in Juba, disarmed his security detail, and detained him at the residence.
However, the detention was viewed as part of escalating tensions between Dr. Machar and President Salva Kiir, whose power-sharing agreement has recently been under pressure.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) expressed grave concern over the situation, warning that the country is on the brink of renewed civil war.
UNMISS called on all parties to exercise restraint, cease hostilities, and recommit to the R-ARCSS to prevent further escalation.
“Tonight, the country’s leaders stand on the brink of relapsing into widespread conflict or taking the country forward towards peace, recovery, and democracy in the spirit of consensus that was reached in 2018 when they signed the R-ARCSS,” the statement by UNMISS read in part.
“Unilateral amendments by parties to that agreement that jeopardize the hard-won gains of the past seven years’ risk returning the country back into a state of war. This will not only devastate South Sudan but also affect the entire region,” UNMISS continued.
For a while now, Kenya has remained committed to ensuring there is peace and stability in South Sudan.