![President Salva Kiir Mayardit boarding plane for UAE as he was being greeted off by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny on October 23, 2022. [Photo by presidency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/311600727_1171547536806637_5092444577761297959_n.jpg?resize=850%2C628&quality=89&ssl=1)
In a statement, the presidency said the meeting between Kiir and Ramaphosa will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, and will – for the most part – focus on strengthening bilateral relations between Juba and Pretoria.
“President Kiir has left Juba this morning on a working visit to South Africa, where he will meet his counterpart President Cyril Ramaphosa,” the presidency said in the statement released after the departure of the president.
“The meeting slated for Wednesday will centre on strengthening bilateral relations between Juba and Pretoria,” the statement added.
South Sudan’s minister of presidential affairs Barnaba Marial Benjamin said in statements to journalists at Juba International Airport that Kiir will discuss with his South African counterparts the implementation process of the revitalized peace agreement.
“The two leaders will also delve into the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, and they will of course discuss the crisis in Sudan as well as other important regional issues,” Marial said, adding that the two men will “also discuss areas of mutual cooperation between SPLM and South African ruling ANC party.”
According to the presidency statement, Kiir “will also meet with other key South African officials and business leaders to promote trade and investment between the two nations.”
The quick visit of president Salva to South Africa creates issues as to why he preferred his travelling during Muslims IDDI arena. The president was seen leaving South Sudan to South Africa at the wee hours of Tuesday as media outlet quoted his presidential Minister in the office of Salva`s himself Dr. Marial that he president himself is going to discuss bilateral relation among two nations that started with terms South, accordingly it indicates South Africa and South Sudan seems to build up very credible links in the African continent due the fact that both two countries begins with the word South, a term likened by the majority of people internationally and beyond. The issue of Sudan became the hottest point of president Salva, leaving behind his home issues and putting ahead of him, reason being the main resource of South Sudan passes Sudan port to the international Market and has a lot of warning persists from warring parties of Sudan, between Hamadti and Burhani to the shutting down of oil, the only main income of South Sudan, that one makes president Salva to be committed highly on the issues of the Republic of Sudan. The IGAD led peace initiative has nominated Salva Kiir to be leading peace negotiation process of Sudan from the beginning of initiative itself but unfortunately the turn has come to William Ruto, the youngest president in Africa to mediates the peace process of Sudan_Khartoum, a point rejected by the side of Burhani, the military Supreme leader while insisting on president Salva to lead and mediates peace accords instead of Ruto. But the question remains like this, what if the side of Hamadti decides to rejected the nomination of Salva Kiir? I think it will be the contentious matter that will never get a breakthrough very soon as the generation of Sudan are in need of urgent peace right now and not tomorrow. The leaving of Salva Kiir to South Africa had or can raises a lot questions as whether things goes well during his little absent from the country and whether there will be no rumours of so and so trying to take power by force. So many activists includes me advice president Salva Kiir to bring total peace to the people of South Sudan through the means of negotiation with Rome holdout groups in the real sense as we wait for this 2024 general election, coming ahead of us.
The commentator is an independent Journalist and associates Lawyer, who is residing outside South Sudan.