The European Parliament has called for an immediate ceasefire in South Sudan and urged the global community to impose targeted sanctions on the country.

There has been reported clashes between the SPLA and the Opposition forces recently.

In a resolution voted yesterday by the parliament, the European MPs condemn continual breaches of the ceasefire agreement signed by the warring parties.

“MEPs condemn continual breaches of the ceasefire agreement signed on 23 January 2014 and reconfirmed on 9 May,” said a statement published on its website.

They call for credible and transparent investigations by the African Union Commission of Inquiry that meet international standards in relation to all serious crimes by any party to the conflict.

It regrets the “ineffectiveness of the targeted sanctions imposed by the EU” and calls for targeted sanctions to be imposed by the IGAD, the African Union and the global community.

The Parliament says it regrets the ineffectiveness of the targeted sanctions imposed by the EU and calls for targeted sanctions to be imposed by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union and the global community.

The EU say they have provided more than one third of all international contributions in response to the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, with the European Commission alone increasing its humanitarian aid budget to combat the crisis to 130 million Euros in 2014.

The European parliament wishes the EU to re-program its development assistance to meet the most urgent needs of the South Sudanese people.

It welcomes the suspension of development assistance in the form of budget support for the country, with the exception of actions providing direct support to the population, direct support for the transition to democracy and humanitarian aid.