President Salva Kiir - credit OPPU - Thursday, July 15, 2021. Credit| Office of the President - Republic of South Sudan.

President Salva Kiir has expressed optimism that the current peace deal will hold, stating that “I believe this time will not go to waste.”

He said it is time for leaders to shun division and work towards the development of South Sudan.

Kiir advised against political bickering and brinkmanship, adding that it derails developmental plans.

“Let us not hold each other hostage or delay the development of our country simply because so-and-so doesn’t want so-and-so,” he said. “This will not benefit us.”

The Head of State argued that political differences should not be allowed to interfere with the desires of ordinary South Sudanese.

Kiir affirmed that it is time to invest in the development of the nation.

“If you don’t want that person, then just work with the person for the sake of developing the country,” the President said on Thursday at the State House during the swearing-in of Dr. Costello Garang as a Presidential Advisor.

South Sudan is currently governed by a coalition of political parties that fought each other before the signing of the 2018 revitalized peace deal.

The unity government is led by President Kiir with five Vice Presidents.

Each party is allocated a portfolio at the national and state levels to bring about peace, security, and development.

On Thursday, the Vice President for Infrastructure Cluster affirmed President Kiir’s directives to construct standard roads across the country.

Taban Deng said this is to connect farming and production areas to the markets and enhance trade and development.

He appealed to all stakeholders to sustain and implement the current revitalized peace deal to spur economic growth.

South Sudan has embarked on the construction of three major highways since 2019.

The government has contracted a local company to construct the Juba-Bor highway, while a Chinese company is constructing the Juba-Rumbek highway.

Last week, it launched the rehabilitation of the Juba-Nimule highway. The project is being implemented by a Turkish company.