The East African quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on efforts by the East African regional bloc to handle violence in South Sudan:
Rebels aligned with former vice president Riek Machar have reason to distrust Igad’s impartiality, added J Peter Pham, an Africa analyst at another Washington think tank.
“Uganda’s heavy intervention on the side of President Salva Kiir and Kenya’s allowing the regime in Juba to restock arms, plus the economic interests of both countries in maintaining the status quo, clearly make it impossible for those opposed to the regime to view Igad as a neutral force,” said Mr Pham who is also director of the Africa Centre at the Atlantic Council.
“As a result, the only chance of the mediation working would be for Igad, backed by the international community, to attempt to impose a resolution through forceful use of sanctions and other coercive measures.”