South Sudan's Kiir seeks negotiations after U.S. sanctions

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Friday said his administration would negotiate with the United States on ending targeted sanctions against senior members of his government, a former official for undermining peace and stability in the country.

In early September, the Trump administration had imposed sanctions on Gen. Malek Reuben Riak Rengu, the army’s deputy chief of staff in charge of military procurement; and Michael Makuei Lueth, South Sudan’s information minister. In addition, sanctions were placed on Paul Malong Awan, who was the army chief until President Kiir sacked him in May.

“Whatever happened is administrative, and can be discussed because the information which the Trump administration collected, they based their information from the collections they make from South Sudan, which most of them are false. But since the Head of State has imposed that, there is nothing we can say about it but we will still find a way of negotiating it with the American administration,” Kiir said in an interview with South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC).

The South Sudanese leader said relations between his government and the United State are still cordial in all spheres.” America has supported us during the struggle by providing relief assistance for our war-affected people. It was America that was the major donor,” he said.

Kiir pointed out that Washington played a key role in encouraging both Sudan’s government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), to sign the 2005 peace agreement ending decades of war.

He also commended the American government’s key role in the formation of South Sudan as an independent state. “That thing was a major step that has been taken by the American government,” he said.

In August, former US Ambassador Molly Phee said her country's relationship with South Sudan now is not strong as it was before, blaming it on continuing fighting, corruption and the mistreatment of aid workers in the world’s youngest nation.