Museveni, Ruto, and Abiy Miss Critical IGAD Meeting on South Sudan Crisis

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Kenyan President William Ruto, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy skipped the IGAD meeting addressing the South Sudan crisis. They were represented by officials who emphasized the need for dialogue to resolve conflicts, as confirmed in a communique highlighting the deteriorating security situation and the importance of the 2018 peace agreement.

On Wednesday, the virtual 43rd Extraordinary Assembly of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Heads of State and Government convened to discuss the escalating security crisis in South Sudan. Notably, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, Kenyan President William Ruto, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy did not attend the meeting. The summit was chaired by Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, President of Djibouti and IGAD Chairperson.

While the three leaders were absent, they sent representatives to the meeting. Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Gideon Timothewos spoke for Prime Minister Abiy, while Kenya’s National Security Advisor Dr. Monica Juma stood in for President Ruto. President Museveni’s delegation included three ministers: Jacob Marksons Oboth, Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs; Henry Oryem Okello, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of International Cooperation; and John Mulimba, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs.

Reports indicate that both Museveni and Ruto have been actively engaging with conflicting parties in South Sudan regarding the worsening security situation. The summit urged President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar to pursue dialogue as the primary means of resolving their differences. As emphasized in a released communique, it stated, “The Summit underscored that dialogue and discussion remain the only means for resolving differences.”

Concerns were raised regarding the deteriorating security conditions in South Sudan, characterized by increased violence and violations of ceasefire agreements. The communique noted, “We expressed alarm at the rising tensions in Juba and elsewhere following the Nasir incident.” The IGAD assembly reaffirmed the importance of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) from 2018 as essential for the peace process.

The virtual IGAD summit focused on the grave security issues facing South Sudan, with a call for dialogue between leaders Salva Kiir and Riek Machar. While major regional leaders like Museveni, Ruto, and Abiy did not attend, they were represented and actively involved in discussions on the crisis. The assembly stressed dialogue is crucial for peace and highlighted concerns over ongoing violence and the need to uphold the 2018 peace agreement.

Original Source: chimpreports.com