IGAD Heads of State Summit reviews peace progress in South Sudan

14 Juillet 2020

Nairobi, Kenya, July 14 (Infosplusgabon) – East African leaders held a virtual Summit on Tuesday under the umbrella of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to discuss progress in the implementation of the South Sudan peace agreement.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta commended parties to the South Sudan peace process for the progress achieved in recent months despite the health and economic difficulties posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

The President underscored the setting up of the executive arm of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU), the agreement on responsibility sharing at state level as well as the appointments of state Governors as key success indicators in the peace process.

The Summit was also addressed by other Heads of State and Government, including Presidents Ismail Omar Guelleh (Djibouti), Mohamed Abdullahi (Somalia), Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (Ethiopia).

"I wish to note that in the last five months, we have witnessed a positive political momentum in the South Sudan peace process.

"Through significant compromises made by the parties, a number of important milestones and breakthroughs have been achieved," President Kenyatta said.

The President spoke at State House, Nairobi, during a virtual meeting of the 36th assembly of IGAD Heads of State and Government.

The Summit was convened by the Prime Minister of Sudan, Dr Abdalla Hamdok, who is also the current Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The IGAD heads of State convened the Summit to assess the South Sudan peace process and review regional Covid-19 response measures.

On the security situation in South Sudan, President Kenyatta noted that permanent ceasefire in the South Sudan was holding.

He cautioned against an increase in communal violence, saying that insecurity risks are worsening the already dire humanitarian situation in the country.

"If the situation remains unchecked, these seasonal and perennial conflicts could have wider repercussions on larger security environment," President Kenyatta said.

The President appealed to South Sudanese leaders to work towards strengthening institutions of governance so as to attain sustainable peace and stability in their country.

On Covid-19, President Kenyatta commended joint response measures adopted by IGAD member states for helping slow down the spread of the virus in the region.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of IGAD Workneh Gebeyehu said the region's socioeconomic stability has been strained by several current challenges among them the desert locust invasion, floods and the Covid-19 crisis.

Dr Gebeyehu said the multilateral approaches adopted by IGAD member states were helping alleviate adverse effects of these challenges on regional economies.

On the South Sudan peace process, Dr Gebeyehu applauded the steady progress achieved despite the challenge posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/VGV/GABON2020

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