The Kenyan government has issued an appeal to all parties involved in the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), urging them to take immediate action to prevent the escalation of hostilities in the country.
This call comes amid growing concerns over the fragile state of peace in South Sudan, which has been marred by intermittent violence and political instability.
Reacting to an official statement by the United Nations on South Sudan's First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar's detention, Kenya's Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing'oei, emphasised the critical importance of adhering to the provisions of the R-ARCSS to bring an end to years of devastating conflict.
"A very concerning development. We implore all parties to the R-ARCSS in South Sudan to do more to prevent an escalation of hostilities," Sing'oei said in an official statement on Thursday.
Reports indicate that a convoy of heavily armed vehicles entered Machar's residence in Juba, disarmed his security detail, and detained him under unclear charges.
The detention is viewed as part of escalating tensions between Machar and President Salva Kiir, whose power-sharing agreement has been under pressure.
Machar's party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), condemned the detention, warning that it jeopardises the fragile peace process.
Following the developments, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) expressed grave concern over the situation, warning that the country is on the brink of renewed civil war.
UNMISS called on all parties to exercise restraint, cease hostilities, and recommit to the R-ARCSS to prevent further escalation.
"Tonight, the country's leaders stand on the brink of relapsing into widespread conflict or taking the country forward towards peace, recovery, and democracy in the spirit of consensus that was reached in 2018 when they signed the R-ARCSS," the statement by UNMISS read in part.
"Unilateral amendments by parties to that agreement that jeopardise the hard-won gains of the past seven years risk returning the country back into a state of war. This will not only devastate South Sudan but also affect the entire region," UNMISS continued.
For a while now, Kenya has remained committed to ensuring there is peace and stability in South Sudan.
