South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea have agreed to accelerate initiatives that would strengthen economic and political integration in their region.
This came in a joint communiqué released following meetings between South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in the capital Juba on Monday.
South Sudanese leader Salva Kiir cut short a tour of the greater Bahr el Ghazal region to meet the two leaders in Juba.
The tripartite meeting centred on shared infrastructure and how the three countries can coordinate their positions on regional and global issues.
Speaking to reporters at the Juba Airport, South Sudan’s Foreign Minister Nhial Deng Nhial said the three leaders emphasized the need to work together to consolidate peace in South Sudan.
“The two visiting leaders committed themselves to support peace and ensure that the holdout opposition groups join the peace process,” he said.
“Also, the leaders discussed matters of regional integration. There are initiatives of integration and development projects that can connect South Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia,” he added.
The top South Sudanese diplomat said the three leaders did not discuss the ongoing anti-government protests in Sudan. “The leaders discussed the peace process in South Sudan only,” he said.
Abiy and Afwerki departed after their meetings with Kiir this afternoon.
Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has played a key role in bringing together South Sudan's rival leaders to sign a revitalised peace deal in Addis Ababa last year.
Also, South Sudan and Eritrea enjoy good diplomatic ties. President Kiir visited Asmara in August last year.