The African Union (AU) Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting peace, constitutional order, and sustainable development in South Sudan.

Chairperson of the commission, Mahmoud Youssouf, reaffirmed this during the AU High-Level Ad Hoc Committee meeting on #South Sudan (C5+) held in Addis Ababa.

Mr Youssouf stressed the need for effective implementation of the agreements reached during the meeting while assuring the AU’s commitment to supporting development in South Sudan.

According to him, there is a need for centrality of the revitalised agreement as the cornerstone for lasting stability.

Also, there should be full and faithful implementation and sustained inclusive dialogue: “I reaffirm the AU’s continued support for peace, constitutional order, and sustainable development in South Sudan,” he said.

The meeting, which was chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, featured Salva Mayardit of the Republic of South Sudan and the prime minister of Algeria, Sifi Ghrieb, who represented the president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

Others in attendance were Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu; the prime minister of Rwanda, Justin Nsengiyumva, who represented President Paul Kagame; and the representative of Chadian transitional President Mahamat Déby.

Ismail Guelleh, president of the Republic of Djibouti/Chairperson of IGAD; Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ali; President Williams Ruto of Kenya; and Somalia, Hassan Mohamud.

The others present are the vice president of Uganda, Jessica Alupo, who represented President Yoweri Museveni, and Jean-Pierre Lacroix of the UN, who represented Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general.

(NAN)