South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has traveled to Malabo in Equatorial Guinea to attend a summit of leaders of the African Union. The crisis in South Sudan is expected to be one of the matters of the agenda of the summit.
Speaking to reporter at the Juba airport this morning, the Minister in the Office of the President Awan Riak said South Sudan will be on the top agenda of the summit, due to insecurity.
“The president is travelling to Malabo in Equatorial Guinea for the AU summit, and in that AU summit there will be a meeting of the Peace and Security Council which we expect our president to participant in effectively, plus other side meetings that will take place in Equatorial Guinea,” Riak said.
The 23rd Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union is being held under the theme “Agriculture and Food Security” from 20-27 June 2014 in Malabo, capital of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
Equatorial Guinea is located just south of Cameroon. It is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa, and one of the smallest nations on the continent.
African leaders are also expected to discuss insecurity and the humanitarian situations in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.
In further remarks at the airport on Wednesday, the minister stressed that the government is committed to the agreement on cessation of hostilities and for allowing humanitarian access to the affected areas.
He urged people to go back to their home areas and start cultivation in order to benefit from what little is left of the opportunity to cultivate.
Photos: Salva Kiir speaks with officials at Juba Airport before leaving the country on 25 June 2014. Pictured here are SPLA Chief of Staff Paul Malong, Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Elia Lomuro, Defense Minister Kuol Manyang, Presidential Guard Commander Marial Chanuong, and Deputy Governor of Central Equatoria Manasseh Lomole