A High level African Union Ad-hoc committee composed of the Heads of State and Government of Algeria, Chad, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa is expected to begin work in support of the IGAD-led Mediation Process for South Sudan. The AU support mechanism, which was announced at the African Union Peace and Security Council’s 494th meeting held on 24 March 2015 in Addis Ababa, is set to complement a new IGAD-Plus peace arrangement that entails substantive support from the UN and other partners such as Troika, EU and China to IGAD.

 The AU PSC at the meeting expressed disappointment with the failure of the South Sudanese parties to meet their earlier commitment to a 5 March deadline for completion of negotiations on all outstanding issues relating to the establishment of a Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU) by 9th July 2015.

The Council also expressed deep concern at the prevailing situation in South Sudan, characterized by fighting in recent weeks and a serious humanitarian situation. In addition, the Council, “recalling its earlier pronouncements on the issue of sanctions against those undermining the quest for peace, violating international humanitarian law and obstructing the efforts of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), noted the adoption, on 3 March 2015, by the United Nations (UN) Security Council, of resolution 2206 (2015).”

Refer to :

• UN Security Council Resolution establishing a Sanctions Regime for South Sudan, 3 March 2015
• Message from H.E HaileMariam Dessalegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly to the People of South Sudan, 6 March’15
• Communiqué of the latest meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council on South Sudan, 24 March 2014