President Kiir, Ruweng Chief Administrator discuss Sudan war

April 24, 2024 (JUBA) – South Sudan President Salva Kiir has instructed the Chief Administrator of Ruweng Administrative Area, Stefano Wieu to closely work with his counterparts to prevent the ongoing war in Sudan from spilling into the country.

The meeting between Kiir and the Chief Administrator took place on Wednesday.

Wieu said the meeting, held in the capital, Juba centered on the security situation along the border with Sudan and on the road construction projects in Ruweng.

“I had a fruitful meeting with His Excellency the President. I briefed him on the general situation spanning security, economic, political, and overall social well-being, said Wieu. And after listening, His Excellency made insightful comments and directives centering on the security along the border with Sudan”, he said.

The Ruweng Chief Administrator also expressed concerns that refugees and returnees from Sudan continue to rise each day, coming in through Heglig area.

He said Kiir urged him to focus on agriculture to address food insecurity in Ruweng.

The conflict in Sudan has spilled over to South Sudan, affecting oil production on which the budget depends, and disrupted oil flow to the international market.

President Kiir, alongside other leaders in the region, has consistently pushed for an end to the ongoing conflict in Sudan through a peacefully negotiated settlement.

Fighting between rival armed factions broke out in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum in mid-April last year, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced more than 8 million people.

According to the United Nations, nearly 2 million displaced Sudanese have fled the conflict to unstable areas in neighbouring Chad, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

(ST)