South Sudan rejects Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

March 2, 2022 (JUBA) – South Sudan on Wednesday walked away from the decisions taken by her southern and northern neighbours, saying it would follow the decision of the African Union which condemned the invasion of Russia.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dau Deng Malek told reporters on Wednesday his government and its president Salva Kiir have decided to stand with the decision taken by the African Union which called on Russia to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and end the invasion.

In a statement issued last week, the continental body called on Russia and Ukraine to establish a ceasefire and open political negotiations to preserve the world from the consequences of planetary.

The African Countries are being represented by Kenya, Gabon, and Ghana in the UN Security Council.

Kenya represents the East African Countries, Gabon is representing the Central African Countries and Ghana represents the West African Countries.

The Kenyan ambassador to UN Security Council condemned Russia’s decision to send troops into Ukraine. Martin Kimani said the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine stands breached.

He added that the charter of the United Nations continues to wilt under the relentless assault of the powerful.

Malek said the government of South Sudan supports a foreign policy that advocates and respects non-interference in the affairs of the other countries.

“The government of the Republic of South Sudan stands with the position of the African Union which rejects the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, said Malek. Our stand as the African continent is together and our ambassador in New York stands with this group, so we don’t have a separate stand out of the African continent,” said Malek.

The minister confirmed that there were five South Sudanese students in Ukraine in the town of Kharkiv but now have crossed into Poland. He said arrangements were underway to return them to the country.

South Sudan had very few numbers of our students in Ukraine in a place called Kharkiv. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, which was experiencing bombardment.

All the South Sudanese students crossed to Poland on Saturday and Sunday.

The statement by South Sudan’s government followed a statement by Gen Kainerugaba – who is the commander of Uganda’s land forces, that “the majority of mankind (that are non-white) support Russia’s stand in Ukraine”.

Gen Kainerugaba and Sudan’s Gen Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Daglo, are considered the first the only senior military officers in Africa to publicly voice support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

When the USSR parked nuclear-armed missiles in Cuba in 1962, the West was ready to blow up the world over it. Now when Nato does the same they expect Russia to do differently, tweeted the first son of the Ugandan president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

(ST)