FM accompanies Salva Kiir in South Sudan National Liberation Council meeting

CAIRO – 3 May 2018: On behalf of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry accompanied Thursday South Sudanese President Salva Kiir in the inauguration session of the meeting of the National Liberation Council of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Juba.

The National Liberation Council is the second highest level in the SPLM.

"The Egyptian participation comes in the framework of continued efforts to achieve peace and stability in South Sudan, as Egypt has voiced support for Kiir's initiative to establish a committee to facilitate the national dialogue," Ahmed Abu Zeid, Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday.

Shoukry’s participation in the meeting came 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,” according to Abu Zeid.


With the aim of achieving reunification of the party, the Arusha Agreement was signed by three conflicting factions of the SPLM party in January 2015 in Tanzania. Since 2013, the ruling party in South Sudan, SPLM, has witnessed many conflicts and differences amongst its main leaders and ranks.

Abu Zeid said that the invitation reflects the deep relations between Egypt and South Sudan. He also added that the meeting focuses on reunifying the liberation movement.

In a tete-a-tete session of talks held on the sidelines of the 2018 Munich Security Conference between Shoukry and First Vice President of South Sudan Taban Deng, Shoukry stressed Egypt’s support of South Sudan to achieve peace and stability within the framework of the initiative that aims to re-unite Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement.

In November 2017, Cairo witnessed the signing of the SPLM’s deal in the Egyptian General Intelligence's headquarters under the auspices of President Sisi and President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

The deal dubbed “Declaration of Unification” was signed by rival factions of the SPLM to rebuild trust and confidence among them. The parties also agreed that the Egyptian General Intelligence would coordinate with the parties concerned and follow up on the implementation of what was agreed upon.

South Sudan has plunged into civil war since South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir issued on July 23, 2013, a presidential decree firing his longtime Vice President Riek Machar and dissolving the entire Cabinet.

The civil war, which has been ongoing since 2013, has led to the displacement of millions and the severe suffering of South Sudan’s people.