South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and the head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, Gen Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan are expected to discuss the progress so far made in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.
Al-Burhan arrived in the South Sudan capital, Juba on Thursday evening.
Sudan and Uganda are the two guarantors of South Sudan’s peace deal.
Speaking to journalists at Juba International Airport on Thursday, the press secretary at the presidency, Ateny Wek Ateny said the two leaders will discuss challenges affecting the implementation of the peace agreement.
“H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit will be briefed by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on his recent visit to Uganda where he held a meeting with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as guarantors of the revitalized peace agreement on the way forward following the postponement of the retreat that was scheduled to take place in Kampala recently,” Ateny told reporters.
“(Al-Burhan) wanted to understand exactly where the parties have gone well and where the parties are actually stuck and if necessary if Sudan can accord help to ensure the implementation of the peace agreement is done amicably,” he added.
Ateny said the two leaders will also discuss progress in the implementation of Sudan’s Peace Agreement mediated by South Sudan’s government.
Al-Burhan said he was in Juba to discuss issues of mutual interests.
“I am not a new guest. I am part of this great nation and I have come to visit brothers here so that we discuss issues of mutual concerns and interests to our people,” said the Sudanese leader.
“For all the differences that exist whether here in South Sudan or in Sudan, they are all issues which can be discussed and resolved amicably by brothers. No one knows our problems more than us. We must find the way to a closer and fruitful partnership”, he added.
The head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council lauded Kiir for his “key” role in standing and supporting the Sudanese efforts to peacefully resolve their political issues.
Meanwhile, South Sudan’s presidential adviser on security affairs, Tut Gatluak told Sudan Tribune on Friday that his secretariat was doing its best on Kiir’s directive to talk to holdout groups to join the efforts that will bring lasting peace and stability to Sudan.
“We are doing our best and hopeful these efforts will culminate into lasting peace and stability to Sudan. His Excellency the president of the republic has given us the directive to contact all the groups so that they can give us their opinions and we have been engaging them,” stressed Gatluak.
“This is encouraging and peace, as you know, is a process”, he added.
In December 2013, South Sudan descended into a civil war that claimed over 400,000 lives and displaced more than two million of its population. The 2018 peace agreement, which ended the war is lagging behind and certain key provisions of the accord are yet to be implemented.
