The situation in South Sudan
COMMUNIQUE OF THE 25th EXTRA-ORDINARY SESSION OF THE IGAD ASSEMBLY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT ON THE SITUATION IN SOUTH SUDAN
ADDIS ABABA, 13th March 2014
The IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government held its 25th Extra-Ordinary Summit on 13th March 2014 in Addis Ababa, under the Chairmanship of H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and current Chairperson of the IGAD Assembly to discuss the situation in the Republic of South Sudan.
The Assembly was attended by H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E Omar Hassan AlBashir, President of the Republic of the Sudan; H.E. Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti; H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit President of the Republic of South Sudan, H. E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya and H.E. Abdiweli Sheik Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The Summit was also attended by Amb (Eng.) Mahboub Maalim, Executive Secretary of IGAD; Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma,
Chairperson of the African Union Commission; representative of the United Nations; representative of the [GAO Partners Forum (IPF); representative of the People‘s Republic of China; representative of the European Union; as weii as Representatives of the Troika (the Governments of Norway, UK and the US).
In light of the on-going IGAD-led mediation process in Addis Ababa, the Summit received a progress report from the Chairperson of the IGAD Mediation team, Amb. Seyoum Mesfin.
After consideration of the report in a closed session and extensive deliberations on the overall political and security situation in South Sudan,
The Summit:
1. Recalls the Communiqués of the 23rdand 24‘“ sessions of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government held on 27th December 2013 and 315‘ January 2014 respectiveiy and the decisions contained in these Communiqués;
2. Welcomes the signing of the Implementation Modalities of the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities (COH) by the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (GRSS) and the SPLM/A (In Opposition) in February 2014 in Addis Ababa, as a significant step in the implementation of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism; in this connection commends their commitment to the pursuit of a peaceful political solution to the crisis;
3. Applauds the IGAD Special Envoys Amb. Seyoum of Ethiopia, Gen. Lazaro Sumbeiywo of Kenya and Gen. Mohammed Ahmed Moustafa El Dabi of the Sudan for their relentless and sustained efforts to resolve the crisis including carrying out a series