Kenya envoy in Juba to push for peace deal implementation
August 8, 2019 (JUBA) – The newly-appointed Kenya’s special envoy to South Sudan, Kalonzo Musyoka visited Juba on Thursday as part of his role in ensuring the September 2018 peace agreement is implemented.
Musyoka, South Sudan’s presidency said, met President Salva Kiir and other senior government officials to discuss the progress so far made in the implementation of the peace accord signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“The intention of his consultative meeting with the stakeholders and signatories to the revitalized peace agreement is to ensure that by the 12th of November 2019, all the arrangements will be in place for the formation of the transitional government of national unity,” partly reads the statement issued Thursday.
In September last year, South Sudan’s rival factions signed a revitalized peace agreement to end the country’s civil war that killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 3 million.
However, the rival parties in May agreed on a six-month extension to implement next steps in the fragile peace agreement, with the latest extension coming after the main opposition group threatened to boycott formation of a unity government on May 12.
Musyoka is due to meet signatories to the peace deal to persuade them to form a transitional government of national unity by Nov. 12.
The Kenyan was appointed a special envoy to Juba in July to help promote peace, stability and reconciliation in the young nation.
South Sudan descended into civil war in late 2013, but a peace deal signed in August 2015 collapsed following renewed violence in 2016.
(ST)