NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 1 – The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Youssouf Ali, has announced the deployment of a high-level delegation from the AU Panel of the Wise to South Sudan as part of efforts to de-escalate tensions and promote dialogue in the country.
This comes as tension remains high in Juba following the detention of the country’s first Vice president Riek Machar following a deadly attack in the country’s Upper Nile region that led to the death of a top military general and other soldiers.
The AUC said that the decision to deploy a mediation team to Juba, follows direct talks between the AU Chairperson and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, during which they discussed the evolving political situation and the recent outbreak of violence in Nasir.
Reaffirming the AU’s solidarity with the government and people of South Sudan, Ali emphasized the Union’s commitment to foster dialogue, reconciliation, and lasting peace.
“To enhance mediation efforts and support the full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), the Chairperson is dispatching a high-level delegation of the AU Panel of the Wise to Juba to engage with all the stakeholders to de-escalate tensions and promote dialogue,” the AUC chairperson said Monday.
The AUC further urged all parties in South Sudan to adhere to the provisions of the R-ARCSS, stressing the need for full implementation to ensure a sustainable peace process.
The continental body also reaffirmed its ongoing collaboration with regional and international partners, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the East African Community (EAC), and the United Nations, to support South Sudan’s transition to lasting peace and democracy.
The move comes a few days after Kenya’s President William Ruto appointed Odinga Special Envoy to South Sudan.
Odinga on Mar 27 expressed optimism about a resolution of the political conflict in the country following discussions with President Kiir in Juba.
Odinga, who visited South Sudan on an Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mission, described his talks with Kiir as “detailed and fruitful,” focusing on the country’s ongoing political situation.
Following his engagement in Juba on Friday, Odinga proceeded to Uganda, where he met with President Yoweri Museveni in Entebbe to consolidate regional efforts toward peace in South Sudan.
“Landed in Entebbe, Uganda, for a briefing session with H.E. President Yoweri Museveni following my fact-finding mission on the political situation in South Sudan. I remain hopeful that a peaceful way out of the political uncertainty in South Sudan is possible, and further escalation can be avoided,” Odinga remarked.
Upon returning to the country from Entebbe, Odinga would claim that Kiir’s administration had not permitted him to speak with Machar and had instead advised him to meet with Museveni.
The South Sudanese government has however refuted claims that President Kiir directed Odinga to meet with Ugandan President Museveni following his visit to Juba, where he sought permission to speak with detained First Vice President Riek Machar.
In a statement issued Monday, Kiir’s Presidential Press Secretary, David Amour Majur, dismissed these claims as a “misrepresentation of diplomatic norms and principles.”
“The suggestion that his Excellency General Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, requested Right Honorable Raila Odinga to meet with the President of Uganda is misrepresenting diplomatic norms and principles,” Majur said.
