Cairo to host meeting between South Sudan's warring leaders
Tuesday December 17 2019
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (2nd R) and opposition leader Riek Machar (2nd L) shake hands after talks on proposed unity government with Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni (R) and President of Sudan's Transitional Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (not in picture) at State House in Entebbe, on November 7, 2019. PHOTO | MICHAEL O'HAGAN | AFP
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has revealed that his country is in the process of arranging a meeting between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar to discuss forming a government of forces affiliated with both sides.
Sisi made the remarks on Monday during a session he held with representatives of foreign media working in Egypt on the sidelines of the third edition of the four-day World Youth Forum (WYF) which opened on Friday in Egypt's Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
"We have always been supportive of all efforts made, and still being made, to find a solution and reach ceasefire," said the Egyptian president, who is also rotating chair of the African Union, noting that the government should commence and overcome what happened in South Sudan during the past two years.
He stressed that Egyptian policy adopts solving problems and extinguishing crises in Africa, "even if Egypt does not chair the African Union."
South Sudan descended into conflict in December 2013 after Kiir sacked his deputy Machar, leading to fighting between soldiers loyal to respective leaders.
The conflict killed tens of thousands and displaced millions both internally and externally.
A peace deal signed in 2015 collapsed after the outbreak of renewed violence in July 2016, forcing Machar to flee the capital. Under the 2018 peace deal, Machar will take up one of the four vice presidency positions in the transitional government.