Security topped a key meeting between South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his Democratic Republic of Congo counterpart Felix Tshisekedi on Sunday, May 8, in Juba.
President Tshisekedi said they discussed approaches to strengthen the security between South Sudan and the DRC, especially at the borders, and agreed to prioritise peace and security in the two countries for the sake of development.
In this regard, he invited President Kiir to join the rest of the East African countries in the fight against rebels obstructing strengthened cooperation, peace and security within the region.
“Since trade and movement of people cannot take place in an environment of rampant insecurity, the two leaders briefly touched on the issue of security and agreed that they both need to work jointly to restore stability along the border areas,” a statement by President Kiir’s office said on May 8.
The Second Heads of State Conclave on the DRC on April 21, in Nairobi, resolved to deploy a regional force to restore peace and stability in the country.
The leaders resolved that the regional force would help contain and where necessary, fight the “negative forces”.
AU welcomes EAC leaders move to deploy regional military force to DRC
“Towards this end, the meeting directed that planning for such a force commence with immediate effect with the full consultation of relevant authorities in the region…To facilitate the implementation of the political and military/ security enforcement tracks the leaders also directed the following,” the communique said.
The leaders also agreed that all armed groups in the DRC should participate unconditionally in the political process to resolve their grievances and failure to do so, they would be considered as negative forces and handled militarily by the region. This move was welcomed by the AU.
President Kiir congratulated DRC and the Congolese people for their country’s recent admission to the EAC during the 19th Extra-ordinary Head of States Summit.
Kiir said DRC’s joining of the EAC provides an avenue for “enhancing mutual cooperation in trade, agriculture, infrastructure development and movement of people across the borders”.
Uhuru tells armed groups in DRC to lay down weapons, work with President Tshisekedi
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
On the international arena, the leaders expressed concerns over the expected rise in essential commodities prices due to the ongoing Russia invasion of Ukraine. They agreed on the need for a unified African position on the conflict in Ukraine, which calls for a negotiated settlement.
According to the UN, the disruptions in imports, production and the related surge in food prices induced by the conflict in Ukraine have the potential to worsen the food security situation in the Eastern Africa Region, which is already been impacted by the effect of three consecutive droughts.
“Eastern African countries are fully dependent on fertilizer imports and the rising fertilizer costs are expected to have severe implications of food availability and prices. As the long rains planting season approaches, prospects of higher-than-average fertilizer prices could reduce fertilizer demand, which, coupled with anticipated below-average rains is likely to impact crop production, availably of staple crops on markets and, eventually, push cereal prices up,” UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its march briefing.
Ethiopia, Sudan and South Sudan are more likely to be affected by possible wheat prices shocks as they are already facing internal socio-economic and climatic shocks, which have already led to high food prices.
In the neighbouring DRC, soaring fuel prices are the latest consequence of the war in Ukraine, as the conflict is stoking fears and anger especially among residents of the northeastern part of the country.
DRC heavily relies on imports, a dependence that could destabilized the country’s food security.
SOUTH SUDAN PEACE DEAL
President Tshisekedi said African Union policies don’t allow and encourage sanctions to its member states and pledged to engage the international community to have sanctions on South Sudan lifted.
He observed that they do not benefit the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement, but instead delay.
The United States has previously imposed sanctions on individuals and entities over the conflict in the country.
This came The Panel of Experts on South Sudan on May 7 recommended to the UN Security Council that the arms embargo be maintained because of the continuing unrest in the country.
It said the embargo had been violated in the 12 months since it was extended in May 2021 as the government had bought armored troop carriers.
President Tshisekedi said they also talked about the construction of a road connecting South Sudan and DRC to enhance food security in the two countries.
Earlier, President Kiir had met with DRC Special Envoy,Professor Serge Tshibangu prior to the official working visit of President Tshisekedi to Juba. The meeting was attended by Minister of Presidential Affairs Dr. Barnaba Marial and the Presidential Special Envoy Amb. Albino Mathom Ayuel
South Sudan peace deal implementation still slow, says monitoring team
