Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, the Executive Director of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Wednesday arrived in the South Sudanese capital, Juba to begin his two-day official visit.
The visit, according to IGAD, is in line with its facilitative role towards implementing the 2018 revitalised peace agreement in South Sudan.
Gebeyehu was received by the South Sudanese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramadan Mohammed Abdallah.
He is expected to hold meetings with various entities in South Sudan, including the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He will also meet leaders and representatives of the Trilateral Mechanism, the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN) and IGAD.
The regional bloc underscored that it is committed to supporting South Sudan as it works to build on its aspirations.
“IGAD, in partnership with other stakeholders, remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting South Sudan as a member state in pursuit of the country’s social, political, economic and broader development aspirations,” it said.
“Together, we are poised to safeguard and fortify the anticipated advancement engendered by the revitalised peace agreement while we nurture an environment conducive to sustained stability and developmental progress throughout South Sudan,” the bloc added.
A revitalised peace agreement was reached in September 2018, but South Sudan has never held elections as government officials have postponed them multiple times. Elections are scheduled for December 2024, but peace monitors and observers say the government hasn’t built up the structure necessary to hold free and fair elections.
Over the past few weeks, the United States imposed visa restrictions related to South Sudan’s political instability and repression of activists and dissidents.