Media reports suggest IGAD leaders’ aim is for the force to help shore up South Sudan’s year-old peace deal. Despite the August 2015 peace agreement that formally ended the war, conflict and instability have also spread to previously unaffected areas in the Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr-El-Ghazal regions of South Sudan. South Sudan accepts protection forceUNITED NATIONS, United States: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday (Monday in Manila) called on all South Sudanese parties to uphold their responsibility to protect civilians and to demonstrate their commitment to a peace agreement as “the only viable path” out of the crisis. Finally, the UN chief in his statement reiterated his commitment to work with all South Sudanese, IGAD, the African Union and international partners, to implement the recommendations of the East African summit. The young country has faced ongoing challenges since a political face-off between the two leaders erupted into full-blown conflict in December 2013.

Source: Manila Times August 08, 2016 12:56 UTC