President President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Thursday departed Juba for Addis Ababa to attend the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Heads of State and Government Summit, where water security and regional stability will dominate discussions.
The summit, scheduled to take place at the headquarters of the African Union, is being held under the theme: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation System to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”
Leaders from across the continent are expected to deliberate on long-term strategies aimed at ensuring sustainable access to water and sanitation while accelerating the implementation of Africa’s development blueprint.
Beyond the main summit agenda, President Kiir is also expected to engage in high-level diplomatic talks on the sidelines, particularly on South Sudan’s peace and security situation.
Speaking to the press at Juba International Airport, the Chief Administrator in the Office of the President, Marik Nanga Marik, confirmed that the Head of State will attend a meeting of the C5 Plus countries.
“The President will, on the sidelines of the summit, attend a meeting of the C5 Plus countries, which will be chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa,” Marik told reporters.
According to Marik, the C5 Plus engagement will focus on South Sudan’s political and security landscape, with particular attention to the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement and the role of regional and international partners in consolidating peace gains.
“The discussions will focus on the current security and political situations in the Republic of South Sudan, including the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement and how to consolidate the gains through regional and international support mechanisms,” he said.
The C5 Plus framework brings together key African stakeholders tasked with supporting peace processes in South Sudan, and the meeting is expected to assess progress made so far while identifying gaps that require renewed commitment.
President Kiir was accompanied on the trip by a number of senior government officials.
The AU summit is expected to conclude with resolutions aimed at strengthening continental cooperation on water security, sanitation, peace, and sustainable development in line with Agenda 2063.
