The African Union says it is sending a ‘‘high-level delegation’’ to South Sudan as part of efforts to resolving the lingering political crisis in the country.
This comes after the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf held talks with the South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir amid escalating tensions in the country.
‘‘Expressing solidarity with the government and people of South Sudan, the Chairperson reaffirmed the AU’s unwavering commitment to dialogue, reconciliation and lasting peace,’’ the African Union said in a statement on Monday.
The African Union says it’s working with regional blocs and the United Nations to try to find a lasting solution to the crisis in South Sudan.
There have been increasing tensions with government putting Vice-President Riek Machar under house arrest in the capital Juba last week. His key allies were also arrested in recent weeks. The government accuses Machar’s side of trying to cause trouble in the country.
UN’s warning
But Machar’s supporters condemned the action as a “grave violation” of the country’s 2018 peace deal that ended the a five-year civil war and brought long-standing rivals President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar into a fragile power-sharing government.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that the peace agreement in South Sudan was in a shambles, telling the country's leaders to put down the weapons and put all the people of South Sudan first.
"Let's not mince words: What we are seeing is darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 civil wars, which killed 400,000 people," Guterres told reporters.
"All the dark clouds of a perfect storm have descended upon the people of the world's newest country – and one of the poorest," said Guterres, listing a security emergency, political upheaval, "a humanitarian nightmare", a displacement and funding crisis and an economic meltdown.
The UN Mission in South Sudan "is working around the clock to ease tensions – engaging all parties and boosting protection of civilians," Guterres said.
