JUBA.
President Museveni, who is on a working visit to Juba, South Sudan, has agreed with his counterpart Salva Kiir to foster peace and security, as well as socio-economic issues and the political landscape.
During a tête-à-tête meeting in the capital, Juba, both leaders discussed the current security situation in South Sudan.
President Museveni was also briefed on the status of the implementation of the peace agreement. The government of South Sudan assured Museveni and his delegation of its commitment to implementing the 2018 revitalised peace agreement.
On economic matters, they agreed to harmonise trade policies, particularly regarding non-tariff barriers and the taxation of small commodities traded across the border between the two nations. John Mulimba, the Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs, stated that they held discussions on issues of commerce and trade, including social and economic matters.
“We had a cordial meeting touching on issues between our two governments that are of mutual benefit. We also touched on the topic of peace and security in the region,” Mr Mulimba was quoted in a statement issued by State House on Friday
The meeting was attended by the 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga, the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Jacob Oboth Oboth, and several South Sudanese government ministers.
Museveni’s impromptu visit to Juba came amid rising tensions in African’s youngest nation with President Salva Kiir no long see eye to eye with his First vice President Dr Riek Machar.
The African Union has already sent a mediation team which arrived in South Sudan’s capital Juba on Wednesday for talks aimed at averting a new civil war after Dr Machar was placed under house arrest last week.
Kiir’s government has accused Dr Machar, a long-time rival who led rebel forces during a 2013-18 war that killed hundreds of thousands, of trying stir up a new rebellion.
Dr Machar’s detention last Wednesday followed weeks of fighting in the northern Upper Nile state between the military and the White Army militia .Dr Machar’s forces were allied with the White Army during the civil war ,but deny any current links.
The AU delegation’s flight arrived at Juba’s airport on Wednesday afternoon with a “Council of the Wise” which included former Burundian President Domitien Ndayizeye and former Kenyan judge Effie Owuor.
Machar’s SPLM-IO party said in a statement that it “warmly welcomes the arrival of the Council of Wise as part of ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions and support the peace process”.
The AU’s Peace and Security Council called in a statement on Tuesday for Machar’s “immediate and unconditional release”, saying recent developments threaten the 2018 peace deal that ended the war.
Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga arrived in Juba on Monday on behalf of an East African regional body to mediate between the rival camps. Odinga met with Kiir but said he was not allowed to see Machar.
Political observers say Kiir, 73, appears to be attempting to shore up his position amid discontent within his own political camp and that the war in neighbouring Sudan has worsened security conditions by leading to an influx of weapons.
The 2013-18 war was contested largely along ethnic lines, with fighters from the Dinka, the country’s largest group, lining up behind Kiir, and those from the Nuer, the second-largest group, supporting Dr Machar.
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