Three key leaders, Museveni, Ruto, and Abiy, missed an IGAD summit aimed at addressing South Sudan’s security crisis. They were represented by senior officials. The summit urged South Sudan’s leaders to engage in dialogue for peace, reaffirming the importance of the 2018 peace agreement. Concerns were raised over escalating violence and breaches of ceasefire.
On Wednesday, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, Kenyan President William Ruto, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy did not attend the 43rd Extraordinary Assembly of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Heads of State and Government. The meeting, chaired by Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, aimed to discuss the critical security situation in South Sudan. Only Somalia’s President, Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, was present at the virtual summit.
Representatives attended on behalf of the absent leaders. Ethiopia was represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Gideon Timothewos, while Kenya’s National Security Advisor Dr. Monica Juma stood in for President Ruto. President Museveni was represented by three ministers: Jacob Marksons Oboth (Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs), Henry Oryem Okello (Minister of State for Foreign Affairs), and John Mulimba (Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs).
Reports indicate that both Museveni and Ruto have engaged with the conflicting parties in South Sudan regarding the worsening security situation. The summit called upon South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar to prioritize dialogue. The communique emphasized that “dialogue and discussion remain the only means for resolving differences” and reaffirmed the importance of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan as fundamental to the peace process.
The meeting expressed serious concern over the escalating violence and breach of ceasefire in South Sudan. “We expressed alarm at the rising tensions in Juba and elsewhere,” the communique stated, referencing specific incidents contributing to increasing unrest.
As the guarantor of South Sudan’s fragile peace agreements, IGAD plays a crucial role. The first peace agreement, established in 2015 after a protracted civil war, eventually failed, leading to another devastating conflict in 2016. The 2018 Revitalized Agreement represents a second attempt to stabilize governance in South Sudan.
In summary, the recent IGAD assembly highlighted the urgent need for dialogue in South Sudan amidst a deteriorating security landscape. The absence of key leaders from Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia at the summit underscores the complexities of regional involvement in South Sudan’s challenges. The communique’s call for President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar to engage in discussions indicates a crucial step towards reviving the stalled peace process established by the Revitalized Agreement. IGAD’s role remains pivotal in fostering stability in the region.
Original Source: chimpreports.com
