The IGAD Heads of State are meeting today to discuss the escalating conflict in South Sudan, particularly the tensions between President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar. IGAD aims to promote dialogue and peace in light of the worsening situation and has previously guaranteed peace accords in the region. Current hostilities threaten to escalate further, with significant arrests impacting stability.
The Heads of State from the eight member nations of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) will convene today to address the escalating civil conflict in South Sudan. This extraordinary summit, designated as the 43rd, is being hosted by Djibouti’s President, Israel Omar Guelleh, who presently chairs the organization. The summit has been called to specifically discuss the worsening situation between President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Dr. Riek Machar, leader of the armed opposition.
The IGAD secretariat announced that this virtual summit is scheduled for March 12, 2025. Participating leaders will include Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, William Ruto of Kenya, Abdel Fattah al-Bruhan of Sudan, Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud of Somalia, Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. IGAD emphasizes its role as the guarantor of the fragile 2018 peace agreement that previously established a national unity government.
As outlined by IGAD, it remains committed to advancing dialogue, de-escalating tensions, and facilitating a peaceful resolution for South Sudan. This organization previously secured a peace accord in 2015, following a protracted civil war that started in December 2013. Although the 2015 agreement faltered in 2016, a second accord known as the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan was signed in 2018.
Current conditions in Juba and Nasir in Upper Nile state point towards a potential full-scale conflict, with active hostilities reported. The U.S. Department of State has indicated that armed clashes are occurring, involving various political and ethnic factions, with widespread access to weapons among the populace. Additionally, ongoing cattle raids throughout the nation continue to exacerbate violence.
Significantly, South Sudan’s Deputy Chief of Defense Forces, Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, alongside the Minister of Petroleum, Puot Kang, have reportedly been arrested by military forces, intensifying concerns regarding stability in the region.
In summary, the IGAD Heads of State are convening to address the critical civil strife in South Sudan, underscoring their role as guarantors of peace in the region. The ongoing violence poses risks of a full-scale war, with heightened tensions between key political figures. IGAD’s commitment to dialogue and peace remains pivotal as they navigate this challenging crisis.
Original Source: chimpreports.com
