South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa joined President Jacob Zuma and the international community in expressing serious concerns regarding the recent outbreak of violence in South Sudan between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA in Opposition (SPLA-IO). Deputy President Ramaphosa is the Special Envoy of President Jacob Zuma to South Sudan.

“We join the international community in expressing our deep concerns at the recent outbreak of violence between Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and SPLA in Opposition (SPLA-IO) which resulted in the loss of lives in the country. We condemn this outbreak of violence in the strongest terms possible and call for the immediate restoration of peace in the country”, said Deputy President Ramaphosa.

“We know and know too well the burden of pain and sorrow that war has brought to bear upon the majority of the people of South Sudan over the past few years. We call on the leadership of South Sudan to take the necessary steps to end the current conflict and to ensure the country remains on course towards the consolidation of the hard-won peace”, continued Deputy President Ramaphosa.

“In this regard, we welcome the resolution of the Extra-Ordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Council of Ministers held on Monday 11 July 2016 in Nairobi Kenya for an immediate ceasefire and the call on President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar to assume their responsibility and to take immediate measures to prevail upon their respective military leaders and to end the fighting”, concluded Deputy President Ramaphosa.

Source: The Presidency Republic of South Africa