South Sudanese President Salva Kiir. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
By JOSEPH ODUHA
In Summary
- “The government will pursue peace through the National Dialogue and take extreme measures to neutralise anti-peace elements anywhere in the country,” President Kiir said.
- On the economy, President Kiir said his government would reverse the downward spiral so as to improve the living standard of the citizens countrywide.
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has vowed to neutralise anti-peace elements and end the war across the country.
He made the declaration on Tuesday while delivering the state of the nation address in Juba.
“I would like to re-emphasise, the government takes security
very seriously and in order to achieve a goal of making 2017 a year of
peace, stabilisation of security situation will take precedent.
“The government will pursue peace through the National Dialogue
and take extreme measures to neutralise anti-peace elements anywhere in
the country,” President Kiir said.
He said that some 'anti-peace elements' stirred up insecurity in Malakal town, but government forces neutralised them.
He pointed out that the government was making efforts in Wau and
Raga towns to completely pacify them to allow civilians to return to
their farms to prepare for the rainy season.
President Kiir admitted that the security situation in the
Equatoria region remained precarious due to the increasing road
robberies and rebel activities around the Yei River State.
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On the economy, President Kiir said his government would reverse
the downward spiral so as to improve the living standard of the
citizens countrywide.
“We have assembled a new economic team through recent changes in
the Bank of South Sudan and Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
"This team is working harmoniously to coordinate policy actions to put a stop to the free fall of our economy,” he said.
READ: South Sudan president replaces central bank governor
President Kiir said his economic team was working closely with
international financial institutions to implement financial reforms as
per the peace agreement signed between him and rebel leader Riek Machar
in August 2015.
The current South Sudan war started after a quarrel among top
ruling SPLM members turned violent in 2013. The war has caused mass
displacement, sparking a humanitarian crisis across the country.
The UN latest figures put South Sudanese who fled their homes to
neighbouring countries at 1.5 million people. Hundreds of thousands
have lost their lives in the four year civil war.
The peace brokered by the regional bloc, the Inter-governmental
Authority for Development (Igad) in August 2015, broke after the last
July violence.
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