Kenya set to host IGAD summit to discuss insecurity in South Sudan

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir (L) speaking with Deputy President William Ruto at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi during the swearing-in of President Uhuru Kenyatta on November 28, 2017. [John Muchucha, Standard]

NAIROBI, Kenya - President William Ruto to host a special sitting summit of the leaders of the Inter-Goverment Authority on Development (IGAD) to assess the status of the conflict in South Sudan’ and address any emerging issues.

The head of state through his verified Twitter account did mention that he has a telephone conversation with the President of Sudan Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan who is also the Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

President Ruto announced that the IGAD special sitting summit will be held before the end of January, with a focus on South Sudan.

He said they discussed relations between Kenya and Sudan and deliberated about the security situation in the Eastern Africa region.

IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government is made up of seven member states including Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

"We committed to holding a special IGAD Summit focusing on South Sudan before the end of this month to assess the status of implementation of the “Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan” and address any emerging issues, "Ruto tweeted.

The R-ARCSS was signed in September 2018 by South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and his First Vice President Riek Machar in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Then, leaders called upon all the signatories to commit to working in good faith to achieve the full implementation of the R-ARCSS.

The R-ARCSS, which was described as a foundation for building lasting peace and stability in South Sudan, was aimed at reviving the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS) signed in 2015.

The signing of the RARCSS was prompted by the civil war which was prompted by a confrontation in Juba on July 2016.

In his statement, Ruto acknowledged Salva Kiir's special message recognizing Kenya’s support in the peace-seeking solution.

"We also appreciate President Salva Kiir’s special message recognizing Kenya’s support in seeking solutions to emerging challenges in South Sudan, searching for durable peace, and delivering humanitarian assistance to the affected communities," he said.

GAROWE ONLINE