A youth leader at the peace talks in Addis Ababa is urging the IGAD mediators to pressure the warring parties to negotiate and end the war in South Sudan. 

On Monday, the participants to the multi-stakeholders negotiations in Addis Ababa started the talks at the level of the thematic groups to discuss the interim government, security and finance and economic issues.

The talks started in the absence of the government’s delegates who said they were still consulting.

“What concerns us as youth is that the negotiations must be serious, because the youth are the first victims of this war, either on the side of the rebels or on the side of the government,” Charles Obaj Adwok, chairman of the youth at the talks, told Eye Radio.

Mr Obaj urged the IGAD to give pressure to the parties to end the war.

“I am urging IGAD that they must ensure that the two parties are present at the negotiating table.”

The IGAD mediators have set the 28th of this month as a deadline for the fifth round of the South Sudan Peace talks.