By Charles K Mark
President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, held bilateral discussions on Saturday and deliberated on issues enslaving the region.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Kampala, Uganda, according to a statement from the office of the president.
Kiir, who congratulated Museveni upon his NAM chairmanship, proposed a commitment to strengthening cooperation with Uganda in various fields.
The two leaders further agreed to work together on issues of common interest for their citizens.
President Kiir, who also doubles as chairperson of the East African Community (EAC) heads of state summit, previously expressed concern over strained inter-state political tensions within the regional bloc.
He strongly emphasized the importance of cultivating a predictable and stable security environment that would facilitate the advancement of the regional integration agenda.
Kiir pledged to send special envoys to the different capitals of the East African countries to deliver his message and, if necessary, engage with the leaders to resolve these matters within the framework of the EAC.
There are currently political tensions among the member states of the EAC over business inequalities and allegations of rebel support, among others.
Last week, Burundi closed its border with Rwanda, nearly two weeks after accusing the neighbouring country of supporting rebels who carried out attacks on its soil.
It said the RED-Tabara group staged an attack on December 22, 2023, near its border with the DRC, killing 20 people, including women and children.
Another unresolved dispute is between the DRC and Rwanda, as the two EAC nations continue to accuse each other of supporting armed rebels.
However, with these priorities in place, Uganda also recently sued Kenya at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) for blocking its use of the fuel transportation pipeline.