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International partners have expressed concern over amendments made to South Sudan’s 2018 peace agreement, stressing that changes to the deal should involve all signatories.

In a joint statement to Eye Radio Newsroom Wednesday morning, the embassies of Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, together with the European Union Delegation to South Sudan, said they were concerned about actions taken without the full agreement of parties to the peace deal.

The partners said the Transitional National Legislative Assembly’s decision to pass the amendments was made without the required consensus.

They said, “the 2018 peace agreement remains the basis for the legitimacy of the transitional government,” adding that “any changes must be made through authentic dialogue involving all parties to the agreement.”

The statement follows the parliament’s approval of amendments to the Revitalized Peace Agreement, a move lawmakers said was aimed at addressing outstanding issues in the transitional process and allowing preparations for elections to continue.

The amendment remove the permanent constitution-making process and the conduct census.

The international partners also called on all parties to end violence, urging them to “commit to an immediate cessation of hostilities.”

The amendments have triggered debate among political actors, with some welcoming the move while others argue that changes to the peace agreement require broader consultation among the signatories.