IGAD Council of Ministers held in Addis Ababa The 52nd Extraordinary Session of IGAD Council of Ministers was held on Tuesday (June 10) in Addis Ababa. The meeting focused on IGAD-led mediation efforts to stop the war in South Sudan. Dr. Tedros Adhanom, Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, opened the meeting and welcomed the Ministers, Ambassadors and delegates of IGAD Member States as well as international partners. Dr Tedros Adhanom noted that the meeting was coincided with the successful conclusion of a multi-stakeholder symposium held on Saturday, June 07, aiming to initiate a genuine, broad-based and inclusive dialogue to resolve the crisis in South Sudan. He further explained that encouraging measures had been taken by national, regional and international communities to help the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and SPLM/A-In-Opposition seek area of agreement, bridge the divisive issues, commit to an inclusive and lasting political solution to the crisis and deliver peace to the people South Sudan. He detailed that IGAD-led mediation process had been accompanied with encouraging developments including the signing and recommitment to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement that was signed on 9 May by the leaders of the warring parties of the country in Addis Ababa; the successful conclusion of a genuine and political discussion of various representatives of South Sudanese people to ensure inclusivity in the move to bring lasting peace; as well as the release of political detainees by President Salva Kirr with the view to expedite the ongoing peace negotiations. He also commended the UNSC resolution on the deployment of three battalions of IGAD Protection force to provide security for the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (MVM) teams to carry out the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. Reminding the gathering that there was a “daunting task” to save the people of South Sudan from “dire humanitarian crisis”, fragile security situation and “immense human suffering”, he urged, all parties must respect the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and pursue a political dialogue within the spirit of good faith and inclusivity. He praised of the IGAD Special Envoys, Member States of IGAD, AU, UN and Troika for their collective efforts and sustained support to stop the war and help the conflict-affected people. General Lazaro Sumbeiywo, IGAD Special Envoy, presented a summary report of IGAD Special Envoys to the IGAD Council of Ministers. He briefed the whole activities of the IGAD-led mediation process from the outbreak of the war in South Sudan till the present situation. He also included the recent multi-stakeholder symposium held on Saturday in Addis Ababa aiming to initiate inclusive political dialogue, adding that the symposium was concluded with the view to stop the war, address the humanitarian crisis, call for international community to continue support to the people of South Sudan, seek genuine and inclusive dialogue, respect the 9th May Cessation of Hostilities Agreement and hasten the deployment of Monitoring and Verification Mechanism team across the country. The IGAD Council of Ministers made an in-depth discussion and deliberations on ways to resolve the crisis and the future of IGAD-led mediation efforts.
Posted on: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 08:12:12 +0000
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