- South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit returned to Juba on Sunday after attending the 38th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, where he held bilateral talks with the presidents of Tanzania and South Africa, among other leaders, on the sidelines of the event.
In a statement issued by his office, citing Presidential Affairs Minister Chol Mawut Ajongo, the discussions at the summit primarily focused on the ongoing conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan.
The statement also highlighted that African leaders urged the newly elected chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, to prioritize efforts to resolve the wars currently afflicting the continent.
“President Salva Kiir Mayardit has returned to Juba after participating in the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa.
“The Minister of Presidential Affairs, Amb. Chol Mawut Ajongo, stated that the summit addressed the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan, emphasizing the need for the new AUC chairperson to prioritize resolving these issues,” the statement from the presidential press unit read.
The statement further noted that during his time in Addis Ababa, Kiir met with the presidents of Tanzania and South Africa, as well as other leaders, to explore ways to strengthen bilateral relations between South Sudan and their respective nations.
“While in Addis Ababa, President Kiir held several sideline meetings with his counterparts from Tanzania, South Africa, and others to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation between South Sudan and their respective countries,” the statement added.
The 38th AU summit brought together leaders from all 55 member states. A key issue discussed was the election of a new chairperson of the African Union Commission, as the previous officeholder completed his second term.
Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf was elected as the new AUC chairperson on Friday, defeating Kenya’s veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga and other contenders.
