US calls for immediate action on South Sudan

The United States on Monday strongly criticized both the South Sudan Government and the SPLM/A-in-Opposition for failing to form a transitional government by Sunday’s deadline. He called it an “outrage and an insult to their citizens.” U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, following the failure to meet the August 10 deadline said “Neither party engaged in peace talks seriously,” adding firmly “We condemn these failures.” Mr. Kerry, who was in Australia, said this failure was “an outrage and an insult to the people of South Sudan. Their leaders are letting them down again and again. Peace talks have been on-going in Ethiopia for six months, while the people of South Sudan continue to suffer and the war persists.” Mr Kerry went on to say that “Regional leaders have previously called for punitive measures if the parties failed to secure peace by the agreed deadline.” He went on: “I call on IGAD and the African Union to immediately take appropriate action to bring peace to the people of South Sudan.”