Secretary-General Welcomes Signing of South Sudan Agreement on Outstanding Governance, Responsibility-Sharing Issues

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General welcomes the signing of the Agreement on Outstanding Issues of Governance and Responsibility Sharing by the South Sudanese parties in Khartoum, Sudan, on 5 August, as an important step in the revitalization of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS).

The Secretary-General commends the leadership of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)-led High Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) and the efforts of the Republic of Sudan to broker an inclusive political settlement of the conflict in South Sudan.

Recalling earlier agreements signed between the parties, the Secretary-General urges all parties to work in good faith and demonstrate their commitment to fully implement and to finalize the revitalized ARCSS as soon as possible.  He reaffirms the continued commitment of the United Nations to support, in close coordination with IGAD and the African Union, the achievement of a fair, inclusive and sustainable peace agreement for the people of South Sudan.