Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres has recognised ODM leader Raila Odinga's role in seeking a ceasefire in South Sudan.
President William Ruto tapped on Raila to be Kenya's special envoy for Sudan, where a civil war has been looming due to the rising tensions following the arrest of opposition leader Riek Machar.
Speaking to the press on Friday, March 28, Guteress noted the dramatic situation in Juba, which, if not mitigated, would culminate in another round of war after the 2018 peace deal.
The UN SG, while backing the African Union and IGAD missions, called on the international community to monitor the situation in the world's youngest country.
He said he was in contact with the Raila-led mission and other interested panels to avert the looming crisis.
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"We fully support the AU initiative to deploy the Panel of the Wise, as well as the efforts of Special Envoy of present Rutu of Kenya. And we'll be working in close cooperation with the AU and IGAD. The Panel of the Wise and Raila Odinga will visit both Salva Kiir and Riek Machar. We are in very close contact with the African Union and with IGAD in order to make sure that those visits produce the effect we want, which is the re-establishment of the peace agreement and the creation of conditions for peace in South Sudan," he said.
Guterres noted that another civil war would rob South Sudan of its dignity.
He was concerned by the nation's economic decline, adding that another conflict would irredeemably bury the nation under oblivion.
Guterres observed that the oil revenue was already plummeting and inflation skyrocketing to 300%.
"Let's not mince words. What we are seeing is darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 civil wars, which killed 400,000 people. Our UN mission in South Sudan is working around the clock to ease tensions, engaging all parties and boosting protection of civilians," he said.
He added that peace has to be the precursor for South Sudan's general election next year.
Machar and President Salva Kiir have not been on good terms ever since their fallout in 2013.
The duo led South Sudan seamlessly right after the nation's independence in 2011; they, however, fell out two years later, with Kiir accusing Machar, who was South Sudan's vice president, of plotting a coup against him.
Machar quit the ruling party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), and joined the breakaway Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition movment.
