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“Lives can get better” in South Sudan: Mission chief tells UN News

“Lives can get better” in South Sudan: Mission chief tells UN News

Intro:

“Lives can get better” in South Sudan and there’s reason to be optimistic that a lasting peace deal can be struck this year, said the Head of the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS) on Thursday.

David Shearer said the UNMISS team providing support to peace talks in the Ethiopian capital this week was confident that trust was growing between government and opposition parties.

The talks are being led by the African regional trading bloc known as IGAD, or the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.

Conflict between forces loyal to the President and his former deputy erupted in 2013 and a UN-backed peace agreement two years later has stalled, leaving South Sudan in a state of humanitarian and economic crisis.

Mr. Shearer said he was focusing on developing local initiatives in areas of South Sudan where they could make a difference, such as the release earlier this month of more than 300 child soldiers by armed groups in Yambio.

He told Matt Wells why these local developments were important to securing a lasting peace across the world’s youngest country.

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The Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says there’s reason to be optimistic that a lasting peace deal can be struck this year.

David Shearer told Matt Wells why local developments were important to securing a lasting peace across the world’s youngest country.

Audio Credit
Matt Wells, United Nations
Audio Duration
8'26"
Photo Credit
UNMISS Photo/Amanda Voisard