African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, Jakaya Kikwete, arrived in South Sudan’s capital Juba on Wednesday for consultations aimed at advancing the stalled implementation of the country’s peace agreement, the foreign ministry said.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Akuei Bona Malwal received Kikwete at Juba International Airport, the ministry said.
The ministry said the visit is part of ongoing cooperation between the African Union and the government of South Sudan to promote peace, stability and regional coordination.
Kikwete is expected to meet senior government officials and other stakeholders involved in the implementation of the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement.
During the visit, he will discuss progress on key transitional benchmarks, including security arrangements, constitutional making and preparations for long-delayed elections.
On Monday in Addis Ababa, AU Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi met Kikwete and discussed his mandate, praising his efforts to “silence the guns” and support political stability in South Sudan and the wider region.
Haddadi reiterated the AU’s support for South Sudan’s transition, including election preparations, drafting of a permanent constitution, unification of armed forces and transitional justice processes, according to the AU.
Kikwete said his engagement in South Sudan would be broad-based, focusing on political and security challenges affecting implementation of the peace process.
The visit follows AU consultations with South Sudanese opposition groups in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, last month as part of efforts to revive an inclusive peace process amid delays in implementing the 2018 agreement.
The talks, facilitated by Kikwete, involved separate meetings with opposition groups including the United People’s Alliance (UPA), the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance (SSOMA), the SPLM-IO faction aligned with Riek Machar, the People’s Coalition for Civil Action (PCCA) and the People’s Resistance Front (PRF).
Kikwete also visited Juba in April on a three-day fact-finding mission during which he met President Salva Kiir and leaders of political parties.
Kikwete, a former Tanzanian president, was appointed in March by the African Union Commission chairperson as High Representative for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, with a special mandate on South Sudan.
The African Union’s Ad Hoc High-Level Committee on South Sudan, known as the C5, continues to support implementation of the 2018 peace agreement and has previously called for elections, the release of detainees including First Vice President Riek Machar, and inclusive national dialogue among parties to the agreement and other stakeholders to restore peace in the country.
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