The European Union Delegation to South Sudan has urged President Salva Kiir not to proceed with the republican order to split the ten states into 28.

The President split the states in a republican order last Friday.

In a joint statement, the spokespersons of the High Representatives of the EU to South Sudan say the order is against the peace agreement.

“The announcement by President Salva Kiir of the presidential order to replace the 10 existing states with 28 new states goes against the spirit and the letter of the Peace agreement signed by the Government of South Sudan on August 26,” partly read the statement.

Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, say the agreement provides for such decisions to be addressed in the making of the permanent constitution.

“The Peace agreement was endorsed by both the President and the opposition at the High Level meeting chaired by the UN Secretary General on September 29 in New York. It is by the timely implementation of the agreement that the parties to the conflict will be judged.”

The process would be overseen by the transitional government of national unity.

The delegation cautioned that the parties to the conflict will be judged by their timely implementation of the agreement.

The spokespersons also condemned the resumption of hostilities in Unity State and urged the SPLM in Opposition to engage timely in the implementation of security arrangements.

They say that only a genuine and concerted effort by the leaders of South Sudan will bring an end to the suffering of the South Sudanese people and renew their hope for a peaceful future.