UN urges South Sudanese to implement peace deal

CAMEROON, Cameroon – U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is urging the warring parties in South Sudan to fully implement the latest peace deal to end the country’s five-year civil war, noting the collapse of previous efforts.

Neighbouring Sudan announced Sunday that South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and its former vice-president and rebel leader, Riek Machar, signed the agreement.

This is the latest of several attempts at peace agreements and cease-fires since war broke out in 2013. All have broken down, most within hours of being signed.

U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Monday that secretary-general Guterres welcomes the signing.

Haq said “the secretary-general urges all parties to work in good faith and demonstrate their commitment to fully implement and to finalize” the agreement “as soon as possible.”