South Sudan’s Kiir vows to strengthen relations with Sudan

September 8, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has vowed to strengthen bilateral relations with neighbouring Sudan.

The presidents’ message was contained in a written letter delivered by Tut Kew Gatluak, the chairman of South Sudan Government Committee for Peace Mediation in Sudan to the Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, General Abdul Fattah al-Burhan.

Tut and his accompanying delegation reportedly met al-Burhan on Saturday in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum in the presence of General Mohammed Hamdan Doqulo, a member of the Sovereign Council.

The delegation reportedly briefed al-Burhan and the Sudanese Prime Minister, Abdullah Hamdouk on the meetings held by Kiir held with the leaders of the Sudanese armed movements in Juba recently.

Tut, also a presidential aide on security affairs, was accompanied by the minister for the presidency, Mayiik Ayii Deng and his Electricity counterpart, Dhieu Mathok.

Meanwhile, the transitional government in Sudan reportedly expressed happiness for the important the South Sudanese leader played to unify the positions of the Sudanese armed movements on the peace process.

Last month, Sudan’s ruling generals and protest leaders signed a constitutional declaration, paving the way for a transition to civilian rule after over seven months of demonstrations and violence.

Under the agreement, signed in the capital Khartoum, a joint civilian-military ruling body will oversee the formation of a civilian government and parliament to govern for a three-year transition period.

The declaration was the result of fraught negotiations between the leaders of mass protests, which erupted in December against the three-decade rule of al-Bashir and the generals who ousted him in April.

(ST)