By Opio Jackson
Japan Ambassador to South Sudan Seji Okada has called on the international community to support the peace process in South Sudan.
Okada said although Japan was not among the TROIKA countries, it had continued to support the peace process in South Sudan.
He was addressing the media yesterday on his recent visit to Ashwa cantonment site in Torit state.
On Monday Okada, African Union, Ambassador of South AfricaGordon Yekelo and representatives of IGAD and CTSAMVM visited Ashwa cantonment site to observe the situation of the area and the actual needs at the site.
Ambassador Okada said Japan was supporting the peace process as a friend to the government not as a partner to the revitalized peace agreement.
He called on the international community to support South Sudan’s peace process especially those countries named as partners to the revitalized peace agreement.
Ambassador Joram M. Biswaro Special Representative of the Chairperson of African Union commission in Juba said their visit showed the commitment of the partners to support the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.
He said the some food items that were donated by the donors were distributed and already reached to the containment sites.
However, he said basics needs such as clean water, food, tents, shelters and medicines were still lacking in the containment site.
“The commander of Ashwa Cantonment site Brig. General George Okeny Lamo expressed the difficult living conditions of the forces and challenges in the cantonment site and asked the international community for more assistance,” Ambassador Biswaro said.
He revealed that the Government of Japan was supporting the implementation of the agreement process through IGAD with 1.4million USD.
On October 2nd Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with IGAD and NPTC for supporting water supply project around cantonment sites.
“Japan is also considering provision of additional in-kind assistance in terms of tents, water tanks, sleeping mats and medicines to the cantonment sites,” Ambassador Biswaro explained.
He added that African Union commission last Sunday also donated 140 assorted tents in support of the cantonment and training of unified forces.
Meanwhile the government of South Africa has pledged to provide additional support for the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.
