April 18, 2024 (JUBA) – South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa held series of talks with South Sudanese leaders as he concluded a three-day visit to the country.
Discussions, according to a statement Sudan Tribune obtained, focused on the full implementation of key provisions of the September 2018 peace agreement as the East African nation prepares for elections scheduled for December 2024.
While in South Sudan, Ramaphosa and his accompanying delegation held talks with his counterpart, Salva Kiir, First Vice President Riek Machar, Vice President and Chairman of the Economic cluster, James Wani Igga, Vice President and Chairperson of the Social Services cluster, Hussein Abdel Bagi Akol, Vice President and Chair of the Physical Infrastructure cluster, Taban Deng Gai and Vice President and Chair of Youth and Sports cluster, Rebeca Nyandeng de Mabior.
Advisers, ministers, heads of the security, defense, police, and other organized forces, and senior government officials also attended the meetings held in Juba.
The visit is part of the efforts by South Africa as the chair of the African Union (AU) appointed High-Level Ad hoc Committee for South Sudan. The five-member committee, comprises of South Africa, Algeria, Chad, Nigeria and Rwanda.
It is tasked with periodic review and convening a ministerial level consultative meeting to assess and consider progress and challenges in the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
The South African leader and his accompanying delegation exchanged views with Kiir and Machar on ways and means of supporting the implementation of outstanding tasks of the peace agreement to create conducive conditions for the successful organization of transparent and credible elections in December 2024 per the roadmap of the extended transitional period reached in August 2022.
The meeting underscored and importance of redoubling efforts to mobilize the required resources to enable the National Elections Commission, Political Party Council, and the National Constitutional Review Committee to effectively discharge their respective mandates in support of the electoral process, including support preparation for the development of the election roadmap.
The meeting discussed a need to solicit, acquire, and provide technical and logistical support, including through the provision of equipment to the relevant institutions of the Revitalized Transition Government of South Sudan (R-TGoNU).
South Sudan’s deputy minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation Ramadan Mahomed Abdallah Gulch described the president and the meeting with President Kiir, Machar and the other deputies as well as cabinet ministers as important engagement in the implementation of the peace process and the enhancing and building trust and confidence between the principal leaders.
“This is a very important visit because we believe South Africa is one of the guarantors of this peace agreement currently being implemented. they are also our historical friends. The history of South Africa is the history of liberation struggle and so they are friends in many aspects. From the time his excellency president Ramaphosa came, he has been holding meetings to discuss with his excellency the President of the Republic and the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar how elections could be conducted as per the road map and in line with the spirit of the cooperation”, he explained.
Goch said President Kiir and his deputies assured the South African leader of their readiness to conduct elections as stipulated in the agreement and the roadmap.
“We assured him [South African president] that everyone, the government of the Republic of South Sudan, the opposition, the citizens, and all our partners and stakeholders are ready for elections to be conducted,” he stressed.
The First Vice President’s office confirmed talks between Machar and Ramaphosa.
“On Wednesday, April 17th, 2024, The First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, H. E Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, met with the visiting South African President, H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, for bilateral talks. The meeting was held to strengthen the relationship between the two nations and discuss important matters of mutual interest. Following the successful meeting, the two leaders were joined by representatives of the SPLM-IO to the R-ARCSS High-level Standing Committee on the Road Map for an extended meeting,” a statement noted.
The meeting, according to the statement issued on Wednesday, was focused on discussing the current status of the implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
“During the meeting, President Ramaphosa and the First Vice President acknowledged the progress made in the implementation of the R-ARCSS. They also discussed the challenges that have hindered the full implementation of the agreement and ways to overcome them,” concluded the statement.
(ST)
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Publish date : 2024-04-18 07:00:00
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