Shoukry to attend SPLM National Liberation Council meeting

CAIRO – 3 May 2018: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will be attending the inauguration session for a meeting by South Sudan’s National Liberation Council of the South Sudan Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Juba on Thursday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid announced Wednesday.

On behalf of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, Shoukry will attend the session upon an invitation by the SPLM that was extended to a number of African leaders who are “guarantors of the Arusha Agreement for the movement's reunification.”

Through the Arusha Agreement, signed on 21 January 2015, was signed in Tanzania between representatives from three conflicting factions of the SPLM party, outlines key steps towards a reunification of the party and addressing crucial points that include political, organization and leadership issues.

According to Abu Zeid, the invitation reflects how deep relations between Egypt and South Sudan are. He also added that the meeting focuses on reunifying the liberation movement.

"The Egyptian participation comes in the framework of continued efforts to achieve peace and stability in South Sudan, as Egypt has voiced support for South Sudanese President Silva Kiir's initiative to establish a committee to facilitate the national dialogue," he added.

This is the second visit to South Sudan by Shoukry in less than a month, as he recently visited Juba to sign a MoU to establish a mechanism for political consultation.