"Deeply troubled" by the ongoing conflict in South Sudan and by the escalation in violence, especially against civilians, the troika (UK, USA, Norway) called on Monday 8 May for an immediate end to all military operations.
"There is no military solution to the conflict. The government of South Sudan must ensure that there is a meaningful ceasefire which shows a genuine commitment to peace and stability, and is not simply a reflection of the fact that fighting is made more difficult by the rainy season", they state in a joint press release, relaying the call launched by Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat and Chairman of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission President Festus Mogae.
This requires "withdrawing troops, disbanding ethnic militias, helping humanitarian assistance and releasing political detainees".
Saying that "government forces continue to target civilians in violation of the law of armed conflict" and that "these actions stand in direct conflict with the government's stated aim of a political solution to the conflict and severely undermine the prospect of any credible national dialogue", the troika and EU call on President Kiir "to implement immediately his commitment to a unilateral ceasefire".
They also state that opposition attacks on civilians are disrupting lifesaving aid and commercial trade, and have resulted in the displacement of 50,000-100,000 individuals in recent weeks. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)