IGAD's South Sudan summit begins without President Kiir

World Bulletin / News Desk

Leaders of East Africa's security and trading bloc in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, called for the revitalization of the 2015 South Sudan peace agreement in a summit in which the president of the war-torn country, Salva Kiir, was conspicuous by his absence.

However, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, wanted for war crimes, was present for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) extraordinary summit, which began on Monday.

The presidents of Somalia, Uganda, and Djibouti were also present."The peace agreement signed in 2015 is the only political solution for the country," said the press release issued by IGAD.

Addressing the summit, current IGAD chairman, Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Dessalegn said: "Immediate and unconditional cease-fire must prevail, hate speech that triggers fighting must stop, civilians must be protected and the national reconciliation shall be implemented,” he said.

The summit has appointed Addis Esmael, a diplomat from Djibouti as the IGAD envoy to South Sudan.