South Africa’s special envoy on peace mission to South Sudan
November 17, 2019 (KAMPALA/JUBA) – South Africa’s deputy President, David Mabuza has embarked on a mission to consolidate the peace in the war-torn nation.
The meeting, official said, seeks to assist Africa’s newest nation achieve lasting peace, development and stability.
Mabuza is reportedly scheduled to hold talks with the Ugandan leader, Yoweri Museveni in Entebbe before leaving for Khartoum to meet the Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Military Council Gen. Abdalftah Alburhan Alrahman.
The senior South African official was quoted saying his country has been providing support to all efforts meant to enhance the complete implementation of the peace agreement in line with the responsibilities of a special envoy.
“South Africa will continue to support all efforts that are meant to enhance the complete implementation of the revitalized peace agreement,” he stressed.
The meetings come barely a week after the Tripartite Summit on the Revitalized Agreement on Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, held in Entebbe on November 7.
On Thursday last week, President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar agreed at a meeting held in Uganda, to delay key benchmarks in the peace accord by 100 days.
Museveni chaired the meeting, also attended by the head of Sudan’s Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Kenya’s Special Envoy to South Sudan, Kalonzo Musyoka.
The delay in forming a national unity government by November 12 came after the main opposition group threatened to boycott deadline, saying the country’s security arrangements are incomplete.
South Sudan descended into civil war in mid-December 2013 when President Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup, allegations he dismissed.
In September last year, the country’s rival factions signed a revitalized peace deal to end the civil war that killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.
(ST)