By Ephraim Modi Duku Sokiri
Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin said the efforts by President Salva Kiir in engaging the two generals in the Sudan war will create an impact in the state.
Speaking during commemoration of the 209th year of the constitution of Norway, organized by Norwegians in Juba, the minister guaranteed the diplomats on president Kiir’s effluence to bring peace in Sudan.
“I can assure you, your Excellency (Ambassador of Norway) that President Salva Kiir through the decision of the IGAD countries will have more influence in these two individuals because he was their senior official and personally know each other and diplomacy with knowledge of each other can assist,” he said.
“I would like to share with you that the efforts of bringing peace to Sudan that President Salva as the chair of the high-level committee which include President Ruto of Kenya as well as President Ismail of Djibouti, the three are involved in trying to resolve the issue in Sudan.”
Minister Marial appealed to the diplomats to support in the humanitarian situation of the country since it receives more than six thousand people on daily basis.
“What I am asking here is support for this forum, because it is the genuine forum that can bring peace to the part of our country. Today, we are receiving at our borders nearly six thousand, daily. We have the longest border which (is) about two thousand kilometers with Sudan with over twelve points in it,” he urged.
“Our minister of humanitarian affairs was here, and I hope you will be able to coordinate with him and give that genuine assistant, it’s a humanitarian assistant, and I think this is the time even to help the peace process in the Sudan.”
The government of South Sudan earlier opened its arm to welcome war escapees fleeing the conflict in Sudan without any restrictions.
“The decision made by our government that we will be allowed in whether they have papers or not, the document is not the issue, it is a humanitarian gesture, how can they look for the papers to travel to another country,” said Minister Marial.
He reiterated that the government is dedicated to building peace and will never take the country back to war.
“Our government is committed to peace, our president has said it here several times, he will never ever take this country back to war, it’s a serious statement and I would like my friends, the diplomats to assure their government that this country is committed to peace implementation,” he added.