• South Sudan is a landlocked country that broke away from Sudan upon gaining independence on July 9, 2011, with Kiir as its first president.
• The country plunged into conflict in 2013 after political disagreement broke out within the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).
Image: PCS
President William Ruto has expressed a strong desire to continue steering mediation talks for peace restoration in South Sudan.
Ruto said on Tuesday he spoke to President Slava Kiir on the phone and briefed him about the progress of the peace talks that have been ongoing in Rome, Italy.
“This afternoon, I had a phone conversation with South Sudan President Salva Kiir. Today, I apprised President Kiir of the steps we have taken to realise this imperative,” he said.
Ruto said President Kiir reached out to him on December 25, 2023, with a plea for him to steer and conclude the remaining phase of the talks.
The talks are being held under the auspices of the Community of Sant’Egidio between the government of South Sudan and opposition parties under the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance.
“Upon receiving the President's request, I reached out to the Community of Sant’Egidio and applauded them for hosting the talks and inviting them to work with us to bring these talks to a fruitful conclusion,” Ruto said in a statement.
He said he has also personally reached out to all the hold-out opposition parties and expressed his desire to ensure an all-inclusive and equitable mediation.
“I’m encouraged that almost all the parties have responded positively to our call. Kenya is currently making the necessary arrangements to welcome the parties to Nairobi for pre-mediation consultations,” he said.
His statement came after he met the leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement Abdulwahid Al-Nur at State House, Nairobi.
The President said Nur expressed commitment to support the IGAD regional roadmap for the restoration of peace and security in Sudan, a move he said is welcome by Kenya.
“I underscored the urgency of all actors in Sudan engaging in efforts to stop the war, facilitate humanitarian access, protect civilians and support a pathway towards civilian political governance,” he said.
Ruto extended an invitation to regional and international bodies including the IGAD, the East African Community and the UN, the AU, the Quad and all partner countries to support the mediation process.
South Sudan is a landlocked country that broke away from Sudan upon gaining independence on July 9, 2011, with Kiir as its first president.
The country borders Ethiopia, Sudan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Kenya.
The optimism that greeted its birth as the world’s youngest country was shuttered in 2013 when political disagreement within the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) plunged the country into conflict.
In December 2013, President Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar and 10 others of attempting to overthrow him.
Machar denied the accusations and decamped from SPLM to the opposition SPLM-IO.
Fighting broke out between the two warring factions igniting a civil war whose embers are yet to be completely distinguished.
“This is the time to give the people of South Sudan an opportunity to enjoy lasting peace and prosperity,” Ruto said in his appeal for support.