South Sudan’s rebel leader, Riek Machar met the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat in Pretoria, South Africa, where the two discussed issues pertaining to the peace process.
The meeting held on 12 April, opposition officials said, mainly focused on the IGAD-led revitalization process of the 2015 peace agreement to end the ongoing conflict in war-torn South Sudan.
Puok Both Baluang, SPLM-IO’s Director of Information, said in a press statement seen by Radio Tamazuj that his boss Riek Machar and AU chief held a fruitful meeting in Pretoria on Thursday afternoon.
“They discussed the high-level revitalization process, the challenges facing the process and the role of other peace partners, including the AU,” said Puok.
Machar, Pouk said, welcomed the visit of the AU Chairperson Moussa Faki.
The rebel official reiterated their full commitment to the peace process and to a negotiated peace agreement to end the ongoing civil war.
The East African bloc IGAD, which oversees the South Sudanese peace process, has recently agreed to release Machar if he would accept to renounce violence, not obstruct peace and relocate to any country outside the region not neighbouring South Sudan.
But South Sudanese rebels said that they will never accept their leader relocates to another country after his release from house arrest in South Africa.