Kiir returns to Juba after holding bilateral talks with Tanzanian, South African counterparts during AU summit

JUBA – 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 talks with the leaders of Tanzania and South Africa, among others, on the sidelines of the event.

In a statement shared by his office, citing Presidential Affairs Minister Chol Mawut Ajongo, discussions at the summit focused on the ongoing conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo 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 aimed at resolving the wars currently ravaging the continent.

“President Salva Kiir Mayardit has returned to Juba after participating at the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa.

“The Minister of Presidential Affairs, Amb. Chol Mawut Ajongo, said the summit addressed the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan, with a call for the new chairperson to prioritize resolving these issues,” read the statement shared by the presidential press unit.

The statement added that during his time in Addis Ababa, Kiir met with Tanzanian and South African Presidents, among other leaders, to discuss 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 strengthening bilateral relations between South Sudan and the respective nations,” the statement noted.

The 38th ordinary session of the AU summit brought together leaders from all 55 member states. One of the prominent issues discussed was the election of a new chairperson of the African Union Commission, a position vacated as the previous officeholder completed his second term.

Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf was elected as the new AUC chairperson, defeating Kenya’s veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga and others on Friday.