Regional and international partners have urged the government to grant UNMISS and humanitarian agencies “unhindered access and movement in Wau town and the countryside”. 

This came after a meeting held by the regional and international partners of JMEC on Wednesday.

The meeting discussed concerns about the fighting in Wau which broke out on June 24.

“[It] has resulted in the displacement of approximately 36,000 persons in Wau town and the displacement of another estimated 30,000 persons from Wau town to the countryside,” partly read a statement issued last evening.

“The regional and international partners call on all fighting forces to immediately cease hostilities and urge the Transitional Government of National Unity to initiate a dialogue at the national and state levels to address the underlying causes of the violence.”

They argued that there is “no military solution to the on-going conflicts in the country”.

The partners include Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, African Union, China, European Union, Norway, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and the Netherlands on behalf of the IGAD International Partners Forum, and UNMISS.

They also expressed their “deep regret about the persistent violations of the permanent ceasefire”.

[They] called upon the parties to the peace deal to expedite implementation of the agreement, especially by participating in and supporting the operations of the Joint Military Ceasefire Commission, the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism, and the Strategic Defense and Security Review Board.