The Inter-Governmental Authority Development announced the summit of East African leaders scheduled to start yesterday morning in Ethiopia was delayed until today, Monday, owing to ‘logistical challenges.’
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya both officially announced their arrival in Addis Ababa, and met with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia.
The arrival of President Salva Kiir of South Sudan was not officially announced, though unofficial reports suggest his arrival later on Sunday.
In a press release yesterday, IGAD announced that the summit “is expected to decide on the way forward and also spell out the punitive measures indicated in its communiqué of 10 June 2014.”
This was a referenced to sanctions that have been threatened by the East African bloc against the South Sudanese warring parties, SPLA-Juba led by Salva Kiir and SPLA-IO led by Riek Machar.
Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin, the Chairman of the IGAD Mediation Team said, “We cannot continue to treat this matter with velvet gloves as the credibility of the summit is on the line.”
According to an SPLM-IO official, speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, the IGAD mediators are expected possibly to attempt to impose an agreement on the two parties, after the two sides failed to arrive at an agreement in the mediated talks.
In spite of the delay starting the Heads of State meeting, IGAD members reportedly started meeting yesterday at the ministerial level.
Tedros Adhanom, Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, wrote on his Facebook page, “The Council of Ministers of IGAD meeting on South Sudan is underway and discussing on documents tabled for negotiation on humanitarian, cessation of hostilities and governance and preparing for the Summit that will start tomorrow.”
Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta (left) with Prime Minister Hailemariam (right) after the former’s arrival to Ethiopia, 24 Aug. 2014 (Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook)