South Sudanese President Salva Kiir left Juba on Friday for Addis Ababa to attend the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly, his office said.
The summit, held at the AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, is focused on sustainable water management and sanitation under the continent’s Agenda 2063 development framework.
“The President is traveling to Addis Ababa accompanied by a high-level delegation to deliberate on continental priorities,” said Marik Nanga Marik, Chief Administrator in the Office of the President.
On the sidelines, Kiir is expected to join a high-level meeting of the C5, an AU committee chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The C5 — comprising South Africa, Algeria, Chad, Nigeria, and Rwanda — represents the five regions of Africa and serves as formal guarantors of South Sudan’s peace process under the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS).
Discussions are expected to focus on South Sudan’s security and political situation, including preparations for the country’s first-ever elections.
Vice President for Infrastructure Taban Deng Gai saw Kiir off at Juba International Airport.