South Sudan accepts protection force

UNITED NATIONS, United States: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday (Monday in Manila) called on all South Sudanese parties to uphold their responsibility to protect civilians and to demonstrate their commitment to a peace agreement as “the only viable path” out of the crisis.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, the Secretary-General welcomed the communiqué of the Heads of State and Government of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Plus countries, which proposed the deployment of the force, agreed at a regional meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Media reports suggest IGAD leaders’ aim is for the force to help shore up South Sudan’s year-old peace deal.