JUBA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Friday slammed the United Nations Security Council decision to extend an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on the conflict-torn country for another year.
Foreign ministry spokesman Mawien Makol Arik said the extension of the sanctions was "unfortunate," given that the east African nation is implementing a peace deal signed in September 2018.
The sanctions would not deter the parties to the peace agreement from moving forward because the government is committed to the attainment of lasting peace in South Sudan, Arik said.
"It is unfortunate that the United Nations has extended the sanctions and arms embargo at a time that we are implementing peace, but this sanction will not deter us from implementing the peace agreement," the spokesman told Xinhua over the phone.
The UN Security Council on Thursday extended the arms embargo and sanctions until May 31, 2020.
Resolution 2471 was adopted by a vote of 10 in favor with five abstentions, from three African countries in the 15-member council and from Russia and China.
The arms embargo was first imposed in July 2018 after violence escalated in the world's youngest nation following the collapse of the August 2015 peace deal.
The sanctions also included a travel ban and asset freeze on eight high-ranking government officials and senior rebel leaders accused of undermining peace efforts in South Sudan.
South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, and the conflict has created one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world.
The UN estimates that about 4 million South Sudanese have been displaced internally and externally.
The peace deal signed in August 2015 collapsed following renewed violence in the capital, Juba, in July 2016.
Under the latest peace deal, opposition leader Riek Machar, along with four others, will once again be reinstated as Kiir's deputy.
Signatories to the fragile peace agreement agreed on May 3 to extend the formation of a transitional government by six months, following delays in the implementation of the pact over unresolved security issues.
