Speaking during the 21st Plenary on Monday, H.E. Mogae said even as plans to hold the IGAD-led High Level Revitalisation Forum continue, it is critical to remain “focused on the desperate plight of the people of this country.”

“For them, we must stop the fighting, end the violence, deal with criminality, prevent sexual and human rights abuses, ameliorate human suffering and address the economic crisis,” he said.

The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) the Chairperson said, has recently published five violation reports, “one of which highlights the extent of Sexual and Gender Based Violence perpetrated by uniformed men in Yei.”

“I condemn all incidents of violence and again call on the warring factions to cease all hostilities and abuses immediately.”

He however noted, for the first time since the signing of the Peace Agreement, the Government has submitted written responses to CTSAMM concerning four of the recent violation reports.

He asked the IGAD Heads of State to prevail over the South Sudanese leadership to ‘rethink the current trajectory of the country and take the necessary steps to restore peace and inclusive governance.’