UNITED NATIONS, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The spokesman for the UN chief on Thursday hailed the initialing by some parties in Khartoum of the Agreement on Outstanding Issues of Governance as a "step forward in the peace process for South Sudan."

However, Stephane Dujarric said the initialing on Wednesday by some of the parties participating in the negotiations in the capital of Sudan still leaves other parties with "outstanding concerns that are yet to be resolved."

"The UN Mission in South Sudan will continue to monitor the ongoing discussions as all parties work towards a genuinely inclusive and enduring peace agreement," Dujarric said.

South Sudan became independent from Sudan in 2011 and civil war broke out two years later after President Salva Kiir Mayardi sacked Vice President Riek Machar. Fighting has continued since. More than 2.2 million people have been displaced because of the violence.