Reacting to news of this afternoon's ceasefire agreement between The Government of South Sudan and Riek Machar's opposition forces, José Barahona, Oxfam's County Director for South Sudan, said:

"The world's newest nation, plagued by conflict for the past month, has today been given a second chance. With the cessation of hostilities, the focus must now be on rapid reconciliation to aide a fast recovery and set South Sudan on a clear path to development.

"The demand in the agreement for humanitarian access is a clear acknowledgement that the dire living conditions for the near half a million people displaced by recent violence are unacceptable and must be reversed.

"In order for the ceasefire agreement to have a real impact, both parties must honor the commitments outlined in the document. Progress must be closely and regularly monitored, as agreed, by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

"Oxfam now hopes this agreement will hold fast and will allow us to rapidly scale up our work to reach the poorest and most vulnerable."