Don't let chance to salvage South Sudan go to waste

President Uhuru Kenyatta meets South Sudan President Salva Kiir on the sidelines of the 19th Ordinary Summit of East African Community Heads of State in Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda. [PSCU]

To the people of South Sudan, hope beckons. There is light at the end of the tunnel after years of a civil war that has brought Africa’s youngest nation to its knees; all because President Salva Kiir and his former Vice President Reik Machar have been unable to reconcile their ideological differences. However, diplomatic efforts appear to have paid off as Riek Machar is set to rejoin government in a move that aims to end hostilities that have dragged on since December 2013.

In particular, efforts by Kenya, whose special envoy Raila Odinga facilitated the latest round of talks that ended Mr Machar’s house arrest in South Africa, should be lauded. Kenya has taken special interest in the conflict in South Sudan because the conflict impacts negatively on regional economies.