By William Madouk
A high-level delegation from Ethiopia and Sudan have jetted to Juba yesterday to underpin the peace agreement and strengthen bilateral talks.
President Salva Kiir on Monday received and held a meeting with the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed at state house, J1.
Speaking to the media, the acting minister of Foreign Affairs, Deng Dau said the two principals discussed mutual ties including the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.
“The two leaders headed to government secretariat where they held a meeting on bilateral matters on regional dimension including the revitalized peace agreement,” Dau said.
“South Sudan value its historical ties with Ethiopia and appreciates Ethiopia’s keen interest in bringing peace and stability,” he added.
Dau also added that the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali held a side-line meeting with the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny to deliberate on challenges hindering the implementation of the Peace Agreement.
For his part, the Ethiopian State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Misganu Arega said that the two leaders exchanged views on matters of bilateral relations and regional stability.
“Ethiopia plays particularly an importance role to the peace and stability in South Sudan and stand committed to the peaceful resolution of issues,” Arega noted.
According to the Sudan News Agency (SUNA), the Sudanese delegation is headed by Gen. Shams-Eddin Kabbashi, he is being accompanied by the minister of defense, Lt. Gen. Yassin Ibrahim Yassin, and the acting minister of foreign affairs, Amb. Ali Al-Sadiq.
“The visit comes within framework of Sudan’s continued and massive efforts to achieve stability in South Sudan and tackle challenges of implementation of the revitalized peace agreement among South Sudanese parties in its capacity as chair of the current session of IGAD and sponsor of the agreement,” SUNA quoted.
Sudan currently holds the chairmanship of IGAD, a regional bloc that has been pivotal in monitoring the peace in South Sudan.
Last Friday, President Salva Kiir and the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar held a closed-door meeting over dismissal of Angelina Teny and swapping of the Ministry of Defense and that of Interior.
Yet an attempt to resolve the dispute ended in a ‘stalemate’ according Machar’s media aide, but Barnaba Marial remained optimistic that the principals’ ‘frank’ talk was pushed to later date for further debates for amicable solution.
Sudan government offered to mediate Kiir-Machar talks. However, Deng Dau, said President Salva Kiir and his Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, do not require external mediation to find middle ground for Angelina Teny’s dismissal saga.
Dau said the two principals are able to overcome the dispute without foreign mediation or a mechanism initiated by foreign parties because they understood their obligations.