South Sudan to follow up on Russia-Africa summit resolutions

Information Minister Michael Makuei speaks to reporters after the cabinet meeting in Juba on Monday, 21 August 2023 (Radio Tamazuj)

Information Minister Michael Makuei on Monday said the cabinet is in the process of setting up a technical committee to follow up on the implementation of the Russia-Africa summit held recently.

In July, President Salva Kiir delegated Vice President Taban Deng Gai to represent him at the summit in St. Petersburg in Russia.

Addressing reporters shortly after an extraordinary cabinet meeting chaired by President Kiir, Makuei said the Russia-Africa summit discussed security, humanitarian issues, and economic relations with Africa among other issues.

“This invitation was for President Salva Kiir who delegated Vice President Taban to lead a delegation to the meeting in Russia and the meeting went on very well. It is something to do with economic relations between Russia and Africa and also issues to do with security, peace, and development,” he said. “The summit came up with resolutions and recommendations among them was to strengthen the cooperation between South Sudan and Russia. This report was also appreciated and commended and the ministers concerned were asked to follow up and make sure that they are operationalized.”

 “Russia is saying Africa is neglected, is being exploited and we need to build Africa, build the capacity of Africans so that they take care of their own affairs and as such Russia is trying to move in and is encouraging us to take up our own affairs,” Makuei added.

According to the government spokesperson, the differences between the global East and West prompted the Russia-Africa summit.

On President Kiir’s visit to Kenya over the weekend, Makuei said the cabinet also listened to a presentation from Presidential Affairs Minister Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin who accompanied the head of state.

“They managed to resolve some of the outstanding issues and they signed some memorandums of agreement,” he said. “The cabinet decided that the ministries concerned should take up form there and follow up the implementation or operationalization of those MOUs and agreements which were made between the two countries.”