The Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan said tribal conflicts remain the most challenging issues the government has to handle.
Riek Machar Teny said the war is over but conflict remains, mostly among pastoralists.The Vice President made these remarks while launching the South Sudan National Conflict Early Warning and Response Unit Saturday in Juba.
The new body was put in place by the South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission in collaboration with IGAD, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.
Dr Machar said it is good if early warning and response mechanisms are in place to identify the root causes of conflicts.
IGAD Director for Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism, Martin Kimani, said that the East African Authority is in South Sudan to deliver concrete help.
He said IGAD is going to meet with South Sudanese leaders so that they can tell them the best way forward for the newly created unit.
Dr Kimani believes that South Sudan has the potential to transform the National Conflict Early Warning and Response Unit in order to fulfil its full mandate.
Deputy Chairperson of South Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Peter Gwang Akic, said the Unit will collect information related to early warning and response, linking with civil society groups involved in data collection and analysis at all levels.
He said the National Conflict Early Warning and Response Unit will also formulate response strategies and communicating relevant data to its IGAD counterpart.
The launch drew together participants from the all the states of South Sudan.