Message by Mr Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on Signing of Agreement between H. E. Gen Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of Republic of South Sudan, and Dr Riek Machar Teny, Former Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan
TOKYO, Japan, May 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- In response to the signing of agreement between H. E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, and Dr Riek Machar Teny, former Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan. Mr Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, issued the following message to his counterparts of the Republic of South Sudan, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of the Sudan, and the Republic of Uganda. Representatives of the said countries attended a Meeting on the situation of South Sudan, hosted by Mr Kishida, on May 4 in Yaounde.
1. Japan welcomes that the Agreement which includes re-dedication to Cessation of Hostilities, Facilitation of Humanitarian Access, and future negotiation on transitional government of national unity in South Sudan, was signed under the mediation of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on May 9 (local time), between H. E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, and Dr Riek Machar Teny, former Vice President of Republic of South Sudan.
2. Japan strongly urges all of the parties to this agreement to refrain from any action which might undermine the agreement, to steadily implement its stipulations, and expects all of the parties of South Sudan to work toward improving the humanitarian situation in that country, consolidating peace, and engaging in national reconciliation and stable nation building.
3. Japan intends to continue to conduct necessary assistance for the stability of South Sudan, including activities by the Japanese Self Defense Forces in the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS), in cooperation with related countries and international organizations such as the United Nations and the African Union.