Kiir backs Egypt’s bid to rejoin African Union
August 20, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudanese president Salva Kiir Mayardit has pledged the support of his administration in backing the Egyptian government’s bid to reclaim membership at the African Union, the information and broadcasting minister said on Tuesday.
Egypt was suspended indefinitely from the the pan-African body in early July following the military’s ouster of the president Mohammed Morsi, who was elected last year following the overthrow of the three-decade-rule of Hosni Mubarak.
In recent weeks hundreds or people have been killed in clashes between the police and members Morsi’s Freedom and Justice party who have protested against his removal.
Kiir made the pledge at a meeting with a visiting Egyptian delegation led by the foreign affairs minister, Nabil Fahmy, who delivered a letter inviting Kiir to Cairo for bilateral visit.
South Sudan’s new information and broadcasting minister, Michael Makuei Lueth, told reporters at a joint briefing with the Egyptian foreign affairs minister, that president Kiir had given assurances of Juba’s support to the Egyptian bid to reclaim membership at the African Union.
“The president commended the effort by the Egyptian to peaceful address current development in the country. He wishes the Egyptian government and the people to find a peaceful means to addressing the issues of concern. The president also assured the delegation support of the government and the people of South Sudan to support the Arab Republic of Egypt to reclaim the membership at the African Union”, Makuei told journalists on Tuesday.
Minister Lueth said the delegation also discussed with the president how the two countries to work together to strength bilateral relations in trade, water management and the role the Egyptian government and the other countries can play to help his country reach a consensus to fully and peacefully implement the cooperation agreement with Sudan to the spirit in which it was signed.
South Sudan seceded from Sudan in July 2011 but many issues, such as oil, borders, disputed areas, security and citizenship remain unresolved despite a cooperation deal signed in September 2012.
Meanwhile the Egyptian foreign minister, Nabil Fahmy commended president Kiir for his assurances to support the Egyptian government and for accepting the invitation extended to him by the interim leader General Abdul Fatah al-Sisi .
“I am thankful to President Salva Kiir Mayardit to according me and the delegation an opportunity to meet him to discuss issues which are very important to our two countries. I delivered to him a message of peace, love and assured of support from the Egyptian government. I brought a letter from our interim president inviting him to visit Cairo”, Fahmy told reporters.
Minister Fahmy said he assured the president the readiness of his country to provide any support the leadership of both South Sudan and Sudan requires from Cairo to help overcome differences over post secession issues.
“I assured the president Salva Kiir Mayardit [of] our readiness as the Egyptian government to provide any type of support he requires from us to help him and his government reach a peaceful settlement over post-secession with the government of Sudan”, Fahmy told reporters Tuesday.
(ST)