By William Madouk
South Sudan ministry of Foreign Affairs has explained that President Salva Kiir is engaging the two Sudanese warring parties on the initiative of IGAD head of states, which assigned him to lead the talks.
This comes after the gov’t of Sudan presented its protest letter over the recent visit by Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo’s representative, Mr. Izzat Youssef to capital, Juba and met president Kiir for talks.
Reacting to the matter, the acting foreign affairs minister Deng Dau Deng, said his ministry did not officially receive the letter, adding that South Sudan is engaging the two Sudanese sides on behalf of IGAD heads of states as mediation team.
“First and foremost, what was circulating on social media was not officially received by the foreign affairs ministry. However, we asked the ambassador, and he said yes, he will submit the document shortly,” Dau told No.1 Citizen Newspaper yesterday.
He clarified that President Kiir was tasked to lead IGAD initiatives, bring the two warring parties to the negotiation table and end bloodshed during an emergency meeting held on April 16, 2023.
“On April 17, he [Kiir] officially contacted Burhan and conveyed the resolutions of the head of the states that was discussed about the unfolding situation in the Sudan, and the resolution was reached that 3 heads of states were tasked to consult and travel to Khartoum,” Dau noted.
“President Salva Kiir asked President Burhan whether this was right for him, and he said yes, he welcomes the decision of the head of the states,” he added.
Mr. Dau also said president Kiir told Burhan that with his role as a mediator, he will engage the leader of Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamadan Dagalo in which president Burhan accepted.
“So, H.E president Salva was engaging both sides to the extent that the cessation of hostilities from 4-11 of May was announced,” Dau noted.
“There was a specific request made by president Kiir; one, that parties should case the fire and cessation of hostilities. Secondly, send their representatives to neighboring countries or South Sudan or any venue of their choice, representatives from both side SAF and RSF,” he continued.
Foreign affairs minister cited after Jeddah talk commenced, they welcome it as IGAD, asserting that they are neutral and their role as IGAD is to silence gun.
“So, date May 8, the special envoy of Burhan came and met with HE the president [Kiir], and the president gave his concern and the message that will be conveyed to President Burhan.
Dau also said there was a call during the press conference that Hemedti should also take advantage to send his representative to get similar message conveyed to President Burhan.
“And that is why on May 17, the representative of Hemedti came and met president Salva and the message was delivered to him on behalf of IGAD,”
“I want to explain so that the Sudanese warring parties should know IGAD is only interested to bring peace in Sudan and not taking part in any side. Mediators must provide balance venue for all the parties,”
When asked why Sudanese government was protesting the visiting of Hemedti representative, Dau said “Obviously, there are a lot of the reasons, for the fact that – if there are constitutional steps that they took as a country that could be the reason, but we don’t want to talk about it because we are very much concern of war and how to end the conflict.”
Dau assured that the bilateral ties between the two sisterly countries remain intact and there were no diplomatic jitters because South Sudan is only doing all these exercise on behalf of IGAD.
He was reacting to the Sudanese government, presentation of a remonstration letter through its foreign affairs ministry to her counterpart in South Sudan, objecting the visit of Dagalo’s envoy.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs submitted an official protest note to the government of the Republic of South Sudan, for allowing advisor for the rebel Rapid Support Forces militia to visit Juba and hold a press conference,” partly reads the statement seen by this outlet.
The Sudanese government said they were surprised by the behavior as Dagalo conduct press conference in presence of senior officials from the government of the Republic of South Sudan.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed, through the memorandum, its strong protest and astonishment at the behavior by the Government of the Republic of South Sudan,” it added.
On Wednesday, Dagalo’s envoy, Mr. Izzat Youssef jetted Juba and held meeting with President Salva Kiir, as the team leader of the IGAD heads of states assigned to engage the two parties for talks.
Mr. Youssef said his boss Gen. Dagalo also known as Hemedti is ready to observe ceasefire and cessation of hostilities and calls on Gen. Abdel Fatah Al-Burhan to reciprocate.
He also said general Hemedti is in full support of the IGAD peace processes to mediate Sudanese conflict. This comes just a week after President Kiir received Al-Burhan’ special envoy on similar talk.