Talk with Machar, IGAD heads of state tell Kiir

Tedros Adhanom, Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs minister, reads a speech after the extra-ordinary session of the IGAD Heads of State and Government on the situation in South Sudan at State House, Nairobi, Friday.  [PHOTO: PIUS CHERUIYOT/STANDARD].

By LONAH KIBET

South Sudan: The Intergovernmental Authority on Development has resolved to make contact and hold talks with South Sudan’s former vice president Riek Machar in efforts to restore peace in Africa’s newest state.

In a meeting held at State House, Nairobi, yesterday, IGAD Heads of State from Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Uganda also committed to meet with other leaders critical in bringing peace in the volatile region.

The talks follow the visit by Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Desalegn and President Uhuru Kenyatta to South Sudan on Thursday to hold talks on how to end the close to two-weeks’ fighting that has claimed up to 1,000 lives.

Humanitarian crisis

Following a three-hour meeting at State House, President Kenyatta asked South Sudanese leadership to initiate dialogue to end the political crisis. He called on the South Sudan Government to use all means within its constitutional mandate to resolve the hostilities.

“We in Kenya and the region are concerned with the loss of lives and resultant humanitarian crisis and would like to see the government taking the initiative to end hostilities,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by Desalegn, who said the crisis should be handled carefully at the national and regional levels before intervention by the international community.

Hundreds of Kenyans have since been evacuated from South Sudan, but there are thousands more stranded or in United Nations camps waiting to be rescued.

Yesterday, the IGAD heads of states also committed efforts to monitor the safety of its member state citizens and coordinate their evacuation.

Uhuru asked the African Union, the broader international community and the UN to act immediately to ensure humanitarian aid is delivered to displaced people and foreign refugees in UN camps inside South Sudan.

The meeting was chaired by Desalegn and attended by Uhuru, Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. South Sudan Vice President Bakri Hassan Saleh and Foreign affairs minister Barnabe Marial Benjamin represented President Salava Kiir.

Two Special Envoys for South Sudan and a representative of Republic of South Sudan were also appointed.

Evacuation efforts

“Appointed are General Lazaro Sumbeywo of Kenya and Amb Seyoum Mesfin of Ethiopia,” said Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom after the deliberations.

Ambassador Mohamed Affey and Ambassador Tewolde Gebremeskal were also appointed as IGAD Special Envoy to Somalia and director of Peace and Security at the IGAD secretariat respectively.

Meanwhile, Kenya Airways has partnered with the government to operate two chartered flights from Juba to Nairobi to help evacuate trapped Kenyans.

A statement from Kenya Airways warned that the flight was not open for sale and was strictly a charter to evacuate Kenyans still in Juba.