The East Africa regional body, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), has given the two parties in the South Sudan conflict 15-day ultimatum to end the violence or face sanctions.
Forces from the South Sudan Government and rebel group of the SPLMA in opposition, led by former Vice President Reik Machar, had in December 2013, engaged in violence, following an alleged move to overthrow the Salva Kiir-led government.
The UN refugee agency said hundreds of thousands of people were killed in the fighting with about two million persons displaced, while some 570, 000 others fled to neighboring Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and Sudan.
The two parties had failed to honour the Dec. 23 cessation of hostilities agreement, as fighting to control the oil state continued by the two forces.
Efforts of the IGAD-led mediated negotiations to end the violence failed as the two parties traded blames for their inability to restore peace in the newest country.
However, the East African leaders, at the end of the 28th Extra- Ordinary Summit of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of States and Governments on Nov. 6 and 7 in Addis Ababa, resolved that the crises must end or the parties would face sanction.
The IGAD Chairperson and Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Dessalegn, made the announcement on Saturday, in a communiqué after the two-day summit.
“The Assembly of IGAD Heads of States and Governments accepts the need for a further period of 15 days to be accorded to the parties to complete consultations on these matters.“
Dessalegn said the parties had committed to an unconditional, complete and immediate end to all hostilities that would bring the war to an end effective from the date of the resolution.
“The parties further commit to the immediate cessation of the recruitment and mobilisation of civilians.
“Any violation of the cessation of the hostilities by any party will invite sanctions including the enactment of asset freezes, travel bans, denial of the supply of arms and ammunition, and any other material that could be used in war.
“Further, the IGAD region shall, without further reference to the warring parties, take the necessary measures to directly intervene in South Sudan to protect life and restore peace and stability,’’ it said.
The regional body urged the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) and the UN Security Council, as well as the international community, to render all possible assistance in the implementation of the sanctions.
The Summit was attended by Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda; President Omar al-Bashir, Sudan and President Ismaïl Guelleh of Djibouti.
Others were President Salva Kiir, South Sudan, President Hassan Sheikh-Mohamud of Somalia and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.
The AU Commission Chairperson, Dr. Dlamini Zuma; Amb. Mahboub Maalim, Executive Secretary of IGAD; the IGAD special envoys for South Sudan, Amb. Seyoum Mesfin of Ethiopi; Gen. Lazaro Sumbeiywo of Kenya and Gen. Mohammed El Dabi of Sudan also attended.
Also in the meeting were representatives of the UN, China, Denmark, Japan, the EU, the Troika (the Governments of Norway, U.S. and UK) and the IGAD Partners Forum.