President Yoweri Museveni has appealed to political key-players in South Sudan to ensure constructive deliberations in their negotiations for peace, unity through dialogue so that they concretize the ground for the development of their country.
“I used to see South Sudan developing but later it went into a standstill because of disunity. During the short period of time I have been here today, we have had discussions into the matters of peace in South Sudan and we have had a good starting point to restore political normalcy,” he said.
The President was addressing a one-day Summit of peace lovers in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum that has been initiated by President Omar Bashir of Sudan. The Summit running under the theme:
“Khartoum Round on Facilitating IGAD Peace Process for South Sudan” took place today at the Freedom Hall Corporation Conference Hall in Khartoum.
It was organized with an objective of resolving the South Sudanese political conflicts following an earlier IGAD meeting convened in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa a week ago.
The Addis Ababa conference, among of other resolutions, had envisioned that both South Sudan sitting President Salva Mayardit Kiir and the Opposition leader, Riek Machar, agree on a common understanding on peace avenues for a stable South Sudan.
Before today’s Khartoum Summit session, President Museveni, the host President al Bashir, President Salva Kiir of South Sudan and Riak Machar, jointly held a consultative meeting and by gesture of joint handshake, their meeting set into motion a positive ray of progression of a stable, peaceful and developmental stage in South Sudan, Africa’s youngest country.
President Museveni pledged his full support and solidarity to ensure that South Sudan is back to the track of economic and social development.
He thanked President Bashir of Sudan for his paternal concern over the political instability in South Sudan that has claimed many innocent lives.
Mr. Museveni saluted the South Sudanese opposition leader Riak Machal for honouring peace-making mission for the benefit of all people in his country.
President Museveni who travelled to Sudan this morning was received on arrival at Khartoum International Airport by host President al Bashir where the two leaders first held a bilateral meeting.
President Museveni and his South Sudan counterpart, President Salva Mayardit Kiir, were later hosted by President Bashir at the Presidential Palace in Khartoum for a tripartite Summit to more talks on the peace process in South Sudan.
South Sudan gained independence from the Sudanese administration in Khartoum in July 2011 after bitter civil war.