Iran Press/ Africa: The African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) conducted a joint visit to South Sudan on Oct. 7-9, meeting government officials and representatives of women and civil society organizations as well as the media on issues related to the latest South Sudan peace deal, according to China's Xinhua news agency.
Talking to the press on the joint visit and its outcome at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Wednesday, officials of the two organizations said they are encouraged with the determination of South Sudanese people for the revitalized peace deal.
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Smail Chergui, the AU commissioner for Peace and Security, said they are very much encouraged by the determination and the resilience of the people of South Sudan, and mainly women.
The commissioner added that "the strong message that came throughout these interactions is now that everybody believes in this revitalized peace agreement."
While he was emphasizing that "everybody looks to the implementation," He continued: "Everybody has now signed and ratified the peace agreement without reservation. The only party that is going to finalize it this week is the former detainees," Chergui said. "We are hopeful they will also do without any reservation."
Underlining the need for the implementation and the peace process to be inclusive, especially for women, the AU commissioner expressed the commitment by the AU and the UN to continue working with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the wider international community to make it happen.
For his part, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, expressed readiness to work together and help the people of South Sudan.
South Sudan's conflict is now entering its fifth year since it erupted in late 2013.
A 2015 peace agreement to end the violence was again violated in July 2016 when the rival factions resumed fighting.
The latest peace agreement was signed in Addis Ababa in September.
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