The United States has asked South Sudan to intensify its efforts at achieving sustainable peace and kicking out corruption if arms embargo and other sanctions imposed on the country would be lifted.
It was disclosed by outgoing ambassador of the U.S to South Sudan, Thomas Hushek.
Hushek was quoted by BBC to have said that South Sudan has to work on a “reduction in level of violence and corruption” in the system for the sanctions to be lifted.
Arms embargo on South Sudan was extended in May by the United Nations Security Council for a duration of one year to block the flow of weapons to armed groups in the country.
South Sudan has been embroiled in violence lasting more than six years, leading to the killing of tens of thousands and rendering millions of others homeless.
The U.S has been leading a host of other countries at pressuring on the government of the country to work towards achieving lasting peace, having only obtained its independence in 2011.
The U.S also imposed restrictions on some top South Sudanese government officials, notably on Taban Deng Gai, former first Vice-President.
“This year when we adopted a resolution at the UN Security Council, we put new language in the resolution that talks about establishing benchmarks, establishing peace-building that will eventually lead to the lifting of arms embargo,” BBC quotes Ambassador Hushek.
“So there is a plan that will be developed about how to remove that particular state of sanctions.
“We offered a plan to remove those sanctions, this involved [the government] taking steps on financial transparency reforms and we will discuss that plan with government officials here.”
Source: CGTN Africa