Peace in Sudan is a boost for stability in South Sudan: Kiir
October 14, 2019 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Monday called on the Sudanese parties to make the needed concessions for peace in Sudan stressing it would be a boost for peace and stability in South Sudan.
Kiir made his call at the opening session of the talks for peace in Sudan in Juba attended by several leaders from Egypt, Ethiopia, and Uganda, three countries particularly concerned by peace in the Greater Sudan.
“I appeal to you to negotiate in good faith, with the need to make some concessions in order to reach peace and stability in Sudan and the region as a whole.”
The achievement of peace in Sudan “will be a big boost for us in the Republic of South Sudan, especially as we are approaching the formation of the transitional government,” he stressed.
“Our experience shows that no one can win the battle through the barrel of a gun, but through political dialogue, negotiation and compromises that lead to the resolution of all disputes,” he said, referring to the civil war in South Sudan since 2013 between government forces and the armed opposition.
President Salva Kiir in the past had admitted that the armed conflicts in the border areas in Sudan and South Sudan contributed to fuel political instability in both countries.
The first agreement for peace in Sudan of August 2015, pointed to the role of Sudanese armed groups in the conflict alongside the government in Juba and provided to disarm their fighters.
Also, several international reports pointed to the presence of South Sudanese armed groups inside Sudan particularly the Blue Nile and South Kordofan and the support received from Khartoum.
However, international isolation of the two regimes and the need for economic cooperation to share the oil income pushed the leadership of the two countries to stop their support for the rebel groups in the two sides and to press them to join the peace process.
“We desire that there will be internal peace in the two countries and that there will be coexistence between the citizens of the two countries,” said President Kiir.
(ST)