The East African bloc, IGAD, has ended the revitalization forum and gave a two-week deadline for a final peace deal in South Sudan, a top government official said.

Michael Makuei Lueth, South Sudan’s Minister of Information, said the High Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) has come to an end.

“It is agreed that the revitalization has come to an end and as a result the meetings will continue in three phases,” he said.

“Phase one, we will go to Khartoum on June 25 to go and discuss the outstanding issues and initial whatever is agreed there. After that there shall be held the AU summit and after the AU summit we will move to Kenya where we will go and continue negotiating on the outstanding issues,” he explained.

Makuei, who is also the government spokesman, said the final peace deal for South Sudan will be signed in Addis Ababa. “It is directed that this process should be conducted within 14 days from yesterday (Thursday),” he said.