President Museveni concludes his visit to South Sudan after discussing “important issues of peace and security”

On Friday, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni concluded a two-day trip to South Sudan with the goal of enhancing bilateral ties and reducing political tensions in the country.

Museveni landed in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, on Thursday. He met with his South Sudanese counterpart, Salva Kiir, to discuss the country’s and the region’s current political and security developments, the presidency said in a statement issued in Juba on Friday.

According to the president, Museveni met with representatives of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) and other political groups during the tour in an effort to foster political unity.

“This meeting aimed to promote dialogue and cooperation among South Sudanese factions, which is essential for the country’s ongoing journey toward stability,” stated the statement.

According to the report, the Ugandan leader, who is recognized for having mediated the 2018 peace agreement in South Sudan that put an end to a civil war and established the current unity government, met with the agreement’s signatories to assess how well it is being implemented at the moment.

In a post on the social media site X, Museveni claimed to have had fruitful conversations with Kiir.

“We addressed key issues of peace, security, and the socio-economic landscape, particularly how to harmonize our trade policies and enhance cross-border trade between our two countries,” stated Museveni.

Ramadan Mohammed Abdallah Goc, the foreign minister of South Sudan, called the visit “successful,” emphasizing the fruitful outcomes of the talks.

The visit coincided with a rise in political unrest throughout South Sudan following the house arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar, which led to bloodshed in various regions of the nation.

According to sources, Museveni’s visit was intended to support the African Union’s and the East Africa bloc’s ongoing mediation efforts to help defuse political tensions in South Sudan.

Raila Odinga, Kenya’s special envoy to South Sudan, met with Kiir in Juba last week before Museveni’s visit.