Pretoria - The Extra-Ordinary Summit on the Committee on Sudan meets today at the African Union's (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
International Relations and Cooperation Deputy minister Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim is among those attending the 16th Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Chairperson of the AU Commission Dr Jean Ping and the chair of the AU High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan, Thabo Mbeki, will be some of the leaders who will brief representatives at the summit.
"South Africa is of the view that the restoration of peace, security and stability in Sudan will have a positive impact on the Horn of Africa region, and on the continent as a whole.
"The restoration of peace to the region is of profound importance to both the bordering countries to Sudan and to the continent as a whole," the department's spokesperson Saul Molobi said.
South Africa again reiterated its support of the African Union/United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), the Doha Peace Process, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the African Union High-Level Panel on Darfur, as well as the work of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel.
Additionally South Africa continues to support the AU's call for the UN Security Council to invoke Article 16 of the Rome Statute with regards to Sudan while it remains a signatory to the Rome Statute.
Article 16 allows the Council to pass a resolution to defer an International Criminal Court investigation or prosecution for a 12 month renewable period. This as Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir faces genocide charges with the ICC.
"South Africa's participation in the summit is also indicative of our high regard for the contribution the IGAD has provided in ensuring that a stable peaceful situation in Sudan," said Molobi.
Deputy Minister Ebrahim will leave Ethiopia on Wednesday to join Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on his official visit to Kenya.
