27 January 2014 - A monitoring and verification team would soon be on the ground to check implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement by the government and opposition in South Sudan, regional officials said today.

Ambassador Dina Mufti, member of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and spokesperson of the Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Ministry, made the statement to UN Radio Miraya following allegations of ceasefire violations from both sides.

He said the team would be on the ground by the end of this month to monitor the ceasefire, which came after about five weeks of conflict in several South Sudanese states.

“It is not something that should take long because it is very urgent, Ambassador Mufti said. “IGAD is working on this and as soon as they finalize (it) … they will disclose the details because there will be different mandates for this monitoring group."

He noted that no cessation of hostilities agreements had been implemented immediately.

“It is normal to have sporadic clashes here and there before it goes into full effect,” the ambassador said. “ (But) both sides are obliged to observe it.

The cessation of hostilities agreement, signed in Addis Ababa on 23 January, provides for the creation of a team tasked with monitoring implementation of the agreement.

The team will consist of 18 monitors drawn from both parties to the conflict, IGAD and the international community.