The Troika countries say they are disappointed with the delay to deploy the regional protection force in South Sudan.

In August this year, the United Nations Security Council authorized the deployment of 4,000 regional soldiers to the national capital, Juba, following the renewed violence in July.

In an interview with Eye Radio this afternoon, the UK Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, Ambassador Christopher Trott, said the force should be deployed rapidly.

“We are disappointed at the delays that we have seen and we hope that they can be overcome as quickly as possible,” Amb Trott stressed.

“Our request is to get this force in. The reason that we mandated it is because we felt it was necessary and we still believe it is necessary.”

For his part, the Norwegian Special Representative for the Horn of Africa and West Africa, Amb Erling Skjonsbrg, stated that the regional protection force is needed in order to expedite the implementation of the peace agreement.

He said: “I also want to state that the peace agreement is still alive and it needs to be implemented  and we need to have an inclusive dialogue  to create ownership of the peace agreement.”

The two envoys are in Juba for meetings with the government on a number of issues including the deployment of the regional protection force, humanitarian issued and to push the parties to implement the peace agreement.