ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, on Wednesday urged South Sudan's disputing factions to fulfill the pending tasks ahead of the newly agreed 100-days timeframe deadline.
The statement was made by the IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan, Ismail Wais, while presided over a two-day workshop that was organized by IGAD for the security mechanisms of the Revitalized Agreement of the Resolution of the Conflict on South Sudan (R-ARCSS), the Djibouti-based eight-member East African bloc said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
"The new 100-days timeframe offers another opportunity for the planning and execution of the pending tasks," the statement quoted Wais as saying.
The Special Envoy, however, urged participants to plan and realize the pending tasks "within 60-days instead," as he emphasized the vital imperative "to avoid any risk of missing deadlines due to upcoming holidays and weekends."
Wais also reiterated IGAD's "continued commitment and assistance in mobilizing support towards the completion of the pending tasks and the overall success of the South Sudan peace process."
The IGAD Special Envoy made the remarks weeks after South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and the country's main opposition leader Machar agreed to postpone the formation of a transitional government of national unity by 100 days.
On Nov. 7, Kiir and Machar agreed to postpone the formation of a transitional government of national unity by 100 days in a bid to iron out contentious issues like security arrangements, number and boundaries of states alongside constitutional amendment.
The world's youngest nation has been suffering from a civil war since December 2013 that has left tens of thousands of civilians dead and an estimated 4 million others displaced.
A peace deal signed in 2015 collapsed after the outbreak of renewed violence in July 2016, forcing Machar to flee the capital.
Under the 2018 peace deal, Machar will take up one of the four vice presidency positions in the transitional government.
According to IGAD, the two-day workshop that targets the security mechanisms of R-ARCSS mainly envisaged producing "a work plan and matrix with specific timelines and responsibilities that conform to the agreed upon 100 days extension."
