UN chief welcomes decision to delay formation of South Sudan unity government.

The UN Secretary-General has welcomed the decision to push back the deadline for the formation of a unity Government in South Sudan.

President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar were expected to form a unified transitional Government by 12 November, in line with a September 2018 peace deal aimed at ending six years of conflict.

Following a meeting last week in Uganda, held under the auspices of regional body IGAD, the leaders and stakeholders agreed to extend the pre-transitional period by 100 days to allow critical tasks to be completed.

'The Secretary-General urges the parties to use this extension to make further progress on critical benchmarks, including security arrangements and the number and boundaries of states, to allow for the formation of an inclusive transitional government of national unity,' his deputy spokesperson, Farhan Haq, said in a statement issued on Monday.

'The Secretary-General also urges the Government of South Sudan to support the process by releasing the pledged amount of $100 million through a transparent and accountable mechanism.'

South Sudan is the world's youngest country, having gained...

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