Sudan’s military leader arrived in neighbouring South Sudan on Monday (September 16) for talks with his counterpart, President Salva Kiir.
General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan landed on board an aeroplane from Port Sudan.
This is Burhan’s second trip to South Sudan since the deadly conflict in his country started.
Speaking to the media after Gen. Al Burhan’s arrival, South Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ramadan Goc said talks between the two leaders will focus on issues of mutual interest.
“There are too many issues of concern for the two countries. After a joint meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Sudan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan will hold a joint press conference to brief the public on the issues discussed,” said Goc.
The main pipeline carrying oil from South Sudan through Sudan for export has been suffering stoppages since February this year due to problems linked to the war between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
A March 16 letter from Sudan’s minister of petroleum declared force majeure on deliveries of oil through the pipeline to a terminal near Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast.
Separately, a government official who preferred anonymity told Radio Tamazuj that the visiting Sudanese leader and South Sudan officials are expected to discuss the progress so far made in the implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
“The extension of the transitional government was based on the need to complete the drafting of a permanent constitution. There was a condition set by the SPLM-IO that there is a need for a guarantor for the extension of the transitional period so that whenever there are delays or issues during the implementation process, the guarantor will put pressure on the parties,” he said.
“Sudanese leader Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan is in Juba to discuss the new extension and the need for a guarantor to monitor the implementation of the peace agreement. Kenya’s President William Ruto is also expected to visit South Sudan soon,” he said.
Sudan and Uganda are the two guarantors of South Sudan’s peace deal.
On Friday, South Sudan’s government postponed the December 2024 general elections until December 2026, citing a lack of preparedness.
This is the second time the country, which gained independence in 2011, is postponing elections and extending a transitional period that started in February 2020.
The country is going through an economic crisis that has seen civil servants go unpaid for almost one year.