Africa-Press – South-Sudan. South Sudan assured the African Union that she would honour the promises made during the recent papal visit and ensure a full transition into an electoral phase.
Speaking to African heads of state at the 36th Ordinary session of the African Union Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Vice President of Service Cluster, Hussein Abdelbagi, said the historic visit will change South Sudan’s fortunes.
“I would like to assure the summit that the historic and unprecedented visit of these religious leaders will not be in vain; as such, the President has demonstrated his seriousness by lifting the suspension of talks with the holdout groups,” stated Abdelbagi.
Abdelbagi stated that the leaders had signed the roadmap with no ill-intention but to get the transition over the line.
“The roadmap seeks to pave the way for a peaceful, free, fair, and credible election at the end of 24 months. Therefore, we ask the guarantors, the AU, and the international community to embrace and support the implementation.”
He called on the international community to lift the arms embargo to allow the government to disarm unified forces with the intention of maintaining law and order. He also appealed to the African Union to support the government in the processes of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration. He noted that the current subnational violence is due to armed civilians and poverty, and that there is a need to disarm them.
The government of South Sudan has graduated the unified forces and is preparing to send the second phase to training centres.
The VP was delegated by President Salva Kiir to represent him at the summit.
African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government convened for the 36th Ordinary Session of the AU, which ran February 18–19, 2023, at the AU headquarters in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. During the ceremonial inaugural event, Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of Comoros, was elected by his colleagues to steer the organization’s course for the next year.
Keynote speakers at the official opening ceremony included Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, Prime Minister of Palestine Mohammad Shyeh, the departing Chairperson of the Union, Macky Sall.
The summit examined the strategic status report of the AU, peace and security, global political, financial, and energy policy governance, and the global food crisis. The summit also discussed the Annual Report of the African Union Chairperson, the African Union response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the evaluation of the STYIP, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the CAHOSCC report.
The 36th AU Summit calls on member states to double the spirit of pan-Africanism, solidarity, and brotherhood by accelerating the implementation of the AfCFTA.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
For More News And Analysis About South-Sudan Follow Africa-Press
