Nairobi, May 10 (IANS) East African countries Saturday welcomed the signing of the South Sudan peace deal by President Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar to end five months of bloodshed in the world's youngest nation. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is the chairman of the East Africa Community (EAC) and rappoteur of the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), said he expected the deal which was inked Friday evening to lead to the opening up of humanitarian corridors for the delivery of assistance to those in need, Xinhua reported. The meeting, which was facilitated by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn who is also the Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly, was the first face-to-face meeting between the two principals since the outbreak of the conflict in South Sudan Dec 15, 2013. The agreement contains a commitment to an immediate cessation of hostilities within 24 hours of the signing and a re-dedication to the cessation of hostilities agreement that was signed in January in Addis Ababa.
05-12-2014, 01:04 AM
East African nations hail South Sudan peace deal
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