President Museveni has arrived in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital to attend the 13th ordinary summit of the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
At Bole International Airport, Museveni was received by the Ethiopian President, Sahle Zewde.
“President Yoweri Museveni has arrived in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa for the 13th IGAD summit. He was received by Ethiopia President H.E Sahle Work Zewde at Bole International Airport. She was flanked by Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa and Uganda’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Rebecca Otengo,”the Presidential Press Secretary, Linda Nabusayi posted on her social media accounts.
This website has learnt that the summit was requested for and on the invitation of the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Ahmed Abiy.
The summit is expected to among others discuss the impasse in South Sudan that has led to delay information of the transitional government as had been agreed upon during the signing of the peace agreement in November last year.
“The SPLM/SPLA(IO) would like to inform members and the public at large that the chairman and Commander in chief, Dr.Riek Machar and his accompanying delegation left Khartoum for Addis Ababa this evening for the 13th ordinary summit of IGAD heads of state,” read in part a statement by the SPLA IO spokesperson on Thursday..
They said they expect the summit to discuss and lift house arrest restrictions and many others imposed on Machar since 2016.
The South Sudan Presidential Press Unit also confirmed that President Salva Kiir too had flown to Adis Ababa for the meeting.
“The President of the Republic, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit and his accompanying delegation left Juba for the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, to attend IGAD summit which is expected to discuss the Revitalized Peace Agreement in South Sudan,” read a post on their official accounts.
Kiir, Machar agree to postpone formation of transitional government by 100 days
In November 2018 the warring parties in South Sudan signed an agreement to form a unity government, which would see Machar return to government as vice president and the same was supposed to have been implemented by May this year before elections in 30 months the period was extended by another six months until November 12.
However, last month, the parties agreed to postpone the formation of the transitional government for another 100 days after a meeting at Entebbe State House.
Among the key among the issues that have caused the delay in the formation of the transitional government is the formation of the national army where both the South Sudan armed forces and rebels are supposed to report to military camps but the same has never been effected.
The creation of cantonment sites, where troops and rebels are to be screened, trained and integrated into a single force has also not been effected.
President Museveni early this month sent the UPDF Air Force Chief of Staff, Maj.Gen. Paul Lokech on a special mission to oversee the assembling, screening, demobilization and integration of the armed forces of South Sudan on behalf of the guarantors.
EXCLUSIVE: Museveni sends Maj.Gen.Lokech on “special assignment” in South Sudan
