Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn says military chiefs from IGAD member states are finalizing preparations to deploy the protection force in the country as soon as possible.

Desalegn’s statement came after a meeting with the United Nations Security Councils delegation in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa on Monday.

The Ethiopian head of state said the conflict in South Sudan is a threat to peace and stability in the region and could create grounds for terrorist elements.

He calls on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), African Union (AU) and IGAD to exert collective efforts to bring durable peace in the country.

UNSC’s delegation head who is New Zealand’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Phillip Taula, told the media that discussion about the role and purpose of the deployed force will be held with IGAD.

The government of South Sudan on Sunday consented to the deployment of a 4000-strong force following a series of meeting with Security Council in Juba.

However, the leadership says it is yet to discuss modalities of the deployment of the protection force including determining the size of the force and areas they will be deployed to among others.