Sudan’s government and the Uganda government held talks yesterday in Entebbe on the IGAD peace process for ending the civil war in South Sudan, even as the warring parties continued to disagree with each other on key points in talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Both Uganda and Sudan have played key roles in the current civil war.
Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour of Sudan met with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni yesterday, according to press reports. Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta were reportedly also at the meeting.
The meeting follows another recent meeting of regional leaders in Addis Ababa with US President Barack Obama. Such meetings represent an increasing level of diplomatic activity ahead of a 17 August deadline set by IGAD peace mediators for South Sudan’s warring parties to reach a peace deal.
War leaders on the two sides have previously rejected several previous deadlines. President Salva Kiir recently wrote to the Ethiopian prime minister criticizing the new deadline.
Bashir asking Uganda to play positive role
According to a report by Sudanese TV station Ashrouq, Ghandour delivered a message from President Omar al Bashir to his Ugandan counterpart touching on the role that Museveni could play in encouraging negotiations between north Sudanese rebels and the government, given that some of the Sudanese rebels live in Uganda.
The written message to Museveni briefed the Ugandan leader on developments in Sudan and the peace process, according to the report.
In a related development, Ambassador Abdelbagi Kabir was quoted by Ashrouq as saying that Sudan participated in constructive talks on the South Sudanese peace process during the summit yesterday.
He further disclosed that IGAD envoys Seyoum Mesfin and Lazarus Sumbeiywo also paticpated in the meeting and explained IGAD’s efforts to bring peace to South Sudan.
Abdelbagi said that the Kampala meeting further resolved to hold another meeting in the Ethiopian capital on 15 August to continue efforts to resolve the crisis in South Sudan.