President Kiir jets back from ‘low-key’ South Africa trip
President Salva Kiir has jetted back from a low-key maiden official visit to South Africa with the public left to guess on the motive behind official engagement.
He jetted back in the country via Juba International Airport on Sunday evening, where he disembarked from the plane and was received by a delegation led by First Vice President Dr Riek Machar.
Kiir flew to Pretoria on Thursday, April 15, for a three-day visit with a high-profile delegation, led by the newly appointed minister of presidential affairs Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin.
‘‘President Salva Kiir arrived in Pretoria, South Africa on 15 April 2021, on an invitation from President Cyril Ramaphosa for bilateral talks. He was received upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport by [South African] Minister of International Relations & Cooperation, Dr. Naledi Pandor,’’ the State House tweeted on Friday after he departed.
On Saturday, the head of state met South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa for bilateral talks.
Reasons for travel
Presidential Press Secretary Ateny Wek Ateny in a short interview with Radio Miraya revealed that the Pretoria visit was for the benefit of the implementation of the 2018 peace deal.
‘‘He is being accompanied by high-level delegation because this is a symbolic visit given that this is the first time for the president to travel to South Africa.
He is expected to discuss with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa matters to do with Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). How far the peace deal has reached and the challenges,’’ he said.
Ateny said that South Africa had one of the most established army in the continent and therefore it was about time to do the benchmarking ahead of the graduation, unification and professionalization of forces.
Earlier on that day, parties to the Revitalised Peace Agreement had written to Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to extend the mandate of National Constitutional Amendment Committee arguing that the grace period would allow for the finishing of the bills necessary for completing constitutional-making process.
A day before, Ateny had issued a statement saying the government was looking for an assistance to repatriate the refugees as it contemplates holding an election.
Come on Thursday, the government official revealed that the president was planning to use the influence of Cyril Ramaphosa government to gain the support of the international community to aid the transition process.
But a contrasting report soon circulated in the media that the president’s visit was personal on medical grounds, adding even more room to guess on his mission.
Up to February 2021, South Africa’s President Ramaphosa was the chairman African Union before he relinquished the leadership to DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi.
Nonetheless, President Kiir’s decision to tag along with Dr Barnaba may have sent forth a message that some negotiation could be in the works. Dr Barnaba has served in the ministry of foreign affairs and was a representative of the government in the recent ceasefire support talks with hold out group SSOMA.
