IGAD firmly in control of South Sudan talks, says President Uhuru Kenyatta

PSCU 03rd May 2014 00:00:00 GMT +0300

By PSCU

Nairobi, Kenya: The Intergovernmental Authority on Development-IGAD will soon hold its summit in Juba, South Sudan, immediately after face to face talks between President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar.

Speaking when he held talks with President Salva Kiir and Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Minister Tedros Adhanom at State House Nairobi Saturday morning, President Uhuru Kenyatta made it clear that IGAD will not accept fragmentation of the ongoing peace talks on the South Sudan crisis.

President Kenyatta, who is the IGAD rapporteur, said following IGAD requests, the face to face talks will take place in the shortest time possible.

President Kiir, who arrived last evening to attend the 5th Northern Corridor Integration Projects Summit, briefed President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Deputy President William Ruto on the talks he held Friday with the visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Juba.

He said the US Secretary of State appreciated that African countries are better placed in resolving conflicts afflicting the continent and more so the IGAD led initiatives in South Sudan.

The Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Minister Tedros Adhanom, who later arrived in country, also briefed President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan on the talks he had with US Secretary of State John Kerry.

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In the briefing session, which was also attended by Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Amina Mohammed, the Ethiopian Minister said the US Secretary of State expressed the American Government commitment to supporting the IGAD led initiatives in resolving South Sudan crisis.

As the Chairman of East African Community, President Kenyatta has made it clear that Kenya and EAC region will not stand by and watch the possibility of genocide in the region.

Through his efforts as the IGAD rapporteur to South Sudan crisis, President Kenyatta early January this year, managed to secure the release of political prisoners who had been detained by the South Sudan Government.

Later, President Kenyatta held talks with the Chinese ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa who briefed him on the forthcoming visit of the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

President Kenyatta said the visit of the Chinese Prime Minister is a game changer not only as pertains to the relations between the two countries but also towards the development of this region.

President Kenyatta said this region requires a strong partner who will not only support it in economic ventures but also in peace settlement.

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