South Sudan’s Kiir tells US he will sign peace deal – US spokesman

The US on Wednesday then circulated a draft UN Security Council resolution proposing an arms embargo and targeted sanctions against South Sudan if Kiir refuses to ink the peace pact.

Moi is the seventh journalist to be killed in South Sudan this year.

Gunmen have killed South Sudan reporter Peter Julius Moi by shooting him twice in the back in the capital, Juba, his family said after identifying his body. Nevertheless, Machar and one other key determine within the talks, Pagan Amum, secretary common of South Sudan’s ruling SPLM get together, signed the compromise deal involving a authorities of nationwide unity.

Brushing aside criticism of media freedom violations at the press conference, President Kiir said: “Freedom of press does not mean that you work against your country”. Amid rising global pressure and threats ofadditional sanctions, Kiir reversed his decision and travelled to Addis Ababa on Sunday, but evaded signing a deal by demanding a 15-day extension.

Fighting erupted after Mr Kiir accused rebel leader Riek Machar, his former deputy, of plotting a coup.

“The mediators have lost their mission, they have become negotiators”.

The fighting has had dire humanitarian consequences, with parts of the country on the brink of starvation, according to humanitarian agencies; 70% of the population is in need of humanitarian aid, and more than 2 million people have been displaced. More than 100,000 South Sudanese have since taken shelter in United Nations bases.

“And it would eventually, it definitely transform South Sudan into a new paradigm, into a new political dispensation where at the end of the transition we hope an elected government will take responsibility in leading the country”, noted Seyoum.

“It is unacceptable because it has never happened anywhere whereby the security of a state and the head of an elected government are handed over to a foreign element”, he said.

Meanwhile, some South Sudanese activists, who have long discounted Kiir and Machar’s ability to ever reach an agreement, said the solution needs to come from within.

“We have initiated consultations at the United Nations … to sanction those who undermine the peace process, if an agreement is not signed by the Government within 15 days and a ceasefire is not implemented promptly by all parties”, Rice added. A U.S. Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the draft, later said China “has been playing a very constructive role”.

Previous agreements have fallen through, and it waits to be seen whether it will be different this time.