Pretoria- Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has today left the country on a working visit to Nairobi, Kenya, and will later land in Juba, South Sudan, to meet with Presidents of the two countries.
The Presidency on Sunday said the Deputy President visits the countries in his capacity as Special Envoy of President Jacob Zuma to South Sudan. He is expected to return to the country on Wednesday.
“During his visit to Kenya, Deputy President Ramaphosa is expected to meet with President Uhuru Kenyatta, attend Kenya's National Day celebrations before consulting with Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement’s (SPLM) Former Detainees.
“Deputy President Ramaphosa will then proceed to Juba South Sudan on Monday 01 June 2015 where he will hold meetings with President Salva Kirr and members of the SPLM Politburo,” the Presidency said.
The Presidency said the visit to Kenya and South Sudan comes against the background of efforts aimed at cementing lasting peace in South Sudan building upon the Reunification Agreement signed in Arusha Tanzania early this year.
The agreement was signed by the various factions of the SPLM. The Reunification Agreement seeks to address the political, organisational and leadership issues that caused the political crisis in the ruling party and South Sudan in general.
“During a meeting hosted in Pretoria in April by Deputy President Ramaphosa with representatives of SPLM (Juba) and SPLM (Former Detainees), consensus was reached on how best to strengthen and implement the Reunification Agreement.
“The meeting also impressed upon all SPLM factions present to remain focused on the reunification of the SPLM as a means to unite South Sudan and end the war. In this regard, the SPLM factions reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the SPLM Reunification Agreement,” the Presidency said.
The Deputy President will be joined by the Secretary-General of Tanzania's ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), Abdurahman Kinana, as a co-guarantor of the SPLM Reunification Agreement.-SAnews.gov.za
