Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed attends IGAD Summit on South Sudan
Addis Ababa, June 10, 2014 – The Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia His Excellency Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed attended the 26th Extraordinary Session of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government on the Situation in South Sudan, which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on June 9-10, 2014.
The Prime Minister of Ethiopia H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, the current Chairperson f the IGAD Assembly, chaired the Summit. The Summit was attended by H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, the Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of Uganda, H.E. William Ruto, the Deputy President of Kenya, H.E. Bakri Hassan Saleh, the First Vice President of Sudan and H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Djibouti. Other attendees included Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Amb. Mahboub Maalim, the Executive Secretary of IGAD, Gen. Lazaro Sumbeiywo, IGAD Special Envoy and representatives from the United Nations, China, the European Union and the Troika (Governments of Norway, UK and the US).
In an 18-point Communiqué issued at the end, the Summit commended H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Republic of South Sudan, and his former Vice President Dr. Reik Machar, the leader of the SPLM/A In Opposition on signing the Agreement to Resolve the Crisis in South Sudan in Addis Ababa on May 9, 2014 and committing to the cessation of hostilities, negotiating a transitional agenda and reforms and a transitional government of national unity that would include a broad range of South Sudanese stakeholders. The stakeholders in this inclusive peace process are the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, the SPLM/A In Opposition, SPLM leaders, political parties, the civil society and faith-based leaders.
The Summit expressed deep disappointment in the failure of the government of South Sudan and the opposition for failing to honour previous agreements and failing to move forward in engaging in the peace process to reach a political resolution to the crisis in South Sudan.
The Summit called on all parties to honour their pledge to allow access to humanitarian workers and resolved to hold all parties accountable on the resolutions of the Extraordinary Summit, including targeted sanctions of any party that failed to comply.
After the conclusion of the Extraordinary Summit, H.E. Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed said:
“On behalf of Somalia, I was happy to participate in the 26th Extraordinary Session of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government on the Situation in South Sudan. We are always ready to work with other members of IGAD to foster dialogue and reconciliation in the region.
“Along with other members, I call on the Government of South Sudan and the opposition to work together to end the conflict and to honour the agreements reached.
“It is critical for all parties to follow through on their commitment to an inclusive peace process as well as to allow humanitarian assistance to the people affected by the conflict. We wish our brothers and sisters in South Sudan the best in this process, and remain supportive of their efforts to resolve their differences.”