JUBA SEPTEMBER 11, 2015(CISA) – South Sudan’s parliament has unanimously voted to adopt last month’s peace deal agreed by President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar.
In a special parliamentary session held on September 10, 212 legislators present endorsed the peace deal which the two parties signed on August 17 and 26 respectively to end the 20-month long civil war in the country.
Speaker of the South Sudan’s parliament Manasseh Magok Rundial said the parliament had backed the agreement in an extraordinary sitting, Reuters reported.
“This is your resolution and decision,” he told lawmakers.
Rundial had before the endorsement said it was necessary to quickly approve the peace deal, stating that the process will give government a breathing space from being held responsible for delay to implement the accord.
“We should not delay this agreement because people are going around accusing us (the government) that we do not want this agreement,” said Magok.
The world’s newest nation has been ravaged by war since December 2013, when soldiers loyal to President Kiir clashed in the capital Juba with troops loyal to his former deputy, Machar.
President Kiir signed the peace deal but complained about the details and said he had faced intimidation from other nations prior to signing and told regional African leaders at the ceremony that he still had “serious reservations.”
Fighting has continued since the signing with both the Sudanese rebels and the army accusing each other for ceasefire violations.
The clashes have prompted the United Nations Security Council to warn both sides that it could impose sanctions if the August deal collapses.
