President Salva Kiir and Costello Garang Riiny Lual, an adviser to the presidency met and held talks on Tuesday, marking the second official meeting between the two leaders following the appointment of the latter by the former in compliance with the provision of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
Lual is the chairman of South Sudan Patriotic Movement, a member of South Sudanese opposition alliance participating in the coalition government.
He represents his group in the arrangement in which advisers were split among the parties to the deal.
The veteran politician’s appointment as an adviser to the presidency was made the same day with the appointment of General Simon Gatwech Dual as a presidential advisor for peace.
Dual declined the offer and decided to declare himself as the replacement for first vice president Riek Machar, marking a split in the armed opposition faction (SPLM/A-IO).
Machar dismisses his removal, questioning the legitimacy and basis of the decision of the group whose leadership was replaced days prior to the declaration made in Magenis, a northern tip of Upper Nile state at the border with neighbouring Sudan.
While Dual declined the assignment, Lual took an oath of office and went ahead to discharge his duties in Juba. He met president Kiir on Tuesday to brief him on a host of issues relating to peace and development programs.
A statement from the office of the president said Lual had briefed the president on common concerns some of which relates to how refugees could be repatriated to the country.
“His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit was briefed in his office by Advisor to the Presidency, Dr. Costello Garang Ring Lual about issues of common concern such as repatriation of refugees and resettlement of internally displaced persons”, the statement reads
Lual told media after the meeting he had discussed with the President about the speedy implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and that he will hold various meetings with European ambassadors, China, and Germany as well as other investors to discuss development programs in areas of health, education, and infrastructure among others.
Source: Sudan Tribune