Bashir and Kiir to meet in Addis Ababa

January 29, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s President Omer al-Bashir will meet his South Sudanese counterpart on the sidelines of the 28th African Union Summit of the Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa next week.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour disclosed Saturday that the two leaders will meet in Addis Ababa to discuss peace in South Sudan. He made his remarks following a meeting with the head of the UN Mission in South Sudan David Shearer.

Sudan is a member of the IGAD mechanism that brokered a peace agreement signed by the South Sudanese warring parties in August 2015. Also, Khartoum has opened its river and land border to allow international humanitarian assistance to the South Sudanese.

In his statements published by the official SUNA , Ghandour said the meeting comes in the framework of the role played by President al-Bashir and Sudan in support of the (regional) efforts to stop the war and achieve reconciliation between the warring factions in South Sudan.

During a meeting of the IGAD leaders held last year, Bashir called for an inclusive process involving the SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar. He also backed the regional efforts to prevent the resumption of war in the neighbouring country after Juba clashes in July 20016.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss the deployment of the joint force on the buffer zone to prevent cross-border attacks by rebel groups.

(ST