President Salva Kiir is appealing to the former Vice President Dr. Riek Machar to end the conflict –on his part -in order to avert the looming hunger in the country.

The UN estimates that over 4 million people will starve from hunger in the coming months if the violence in South Sudan doesn’t stop.

Aid organizations are calling for a cessation of hostilities to allow farmers to go back and cultivate as the rainy season continues.

President Kiir said the situation can be avoided if the armed conflict ceased and civilians returned to their homes.

He told the BBC Hardtalk program that Dr. Riek Machar should publicly instruct his forces to stop fighting.

“We’ve to stop this fighting so that we save people’s lives – so that people don’t die of hunger,” he appealed.

President Kiir said by stopping the violence, aid organizations will be able to deliver food to the needy.

The UN has projected that by December this year, 7 million people will be in need of humanitarian assistance and 1.5 million others will be displaced within South Sudan.

It says over 850,000 people will have fled to the neighboring countries.