President Yoweri Museveni has concluded his two day working visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he joined other IGAD Heads of State and Government at the 27th Extra-Ordinary Summit devoted to the security situation in South Sudan.
At the end of the Summit, which was also attended by Dr. Riek Machar, leader of the SPLM/A (in opposition), IGAD leaders signed the Protocol on Agreed Principles on Transitional Arrangements towards the Resolution of the Crisis in South Sudan.
The Protocol Agreement will further guide the parties in the South Sudan crisis to negotiate and honour the secession of hostilities agreement leading to the re-establishment of peace and the formation of an all inclusive Government of National Unity.
In the Protocol the leaders noted that the establishment of a Transitional Government of National Unity offers the best chance for the people of South Sudan to take their country forward to peace and development.
In the Transitional Government of National Unity, the Head of State and Government shall be the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and will be the elected incumbent President of the Republic, who will be deputized by the Vice-President.
According to the Protocol, the Prime Minister shall be nominated by the SPLM/A - in Opposition and shall be acceptable to the President.
His duties and powers shall be negotiated during the peace process but will be expected to work harmoniously with the President during the interim period.
The interim period shall last two and half years i.e. 30 months during which national elections shall be held sixty days before the end of this period.
Other agreed upon principles cover the transitional security arrangements; Resources, Economic and Financial Management; Transitional Justice, Reconciliation and Healing; Humanitarian Concerns; and Parameters for a Permanent Constitution Process.
The leaders also issued a sixteen-point communiqué at the end of the summit which noted that this was the fifth extra-ordinary summit on South Sudan.
It called on the stakeholders in the conflict to conclude, within six weeks, a negotiation of the details necessary to fully operationalize the Agreed Principles of Transitional Arrangements Towards the Resolution of the Crisis in South Sudan.
The communiqué also called on the parties to the conflict to fully mandate and empower their representatives to proceed with the peace process without any further delay.
The Summit was attended by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia and current Chairman of IGAD Mr. Hailemariam Dessalegn, the President of South Sudan Mr. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the Ugandan leader, Mr. Yoweri Museveni, President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, the Vice-President of the Sudan Mr. Bakri Hassan Saleh and the Prime Minister of Somalia, Mr. Abdweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed.
President Museveni, who shook hands with all the leaders present, including, Dr. Riek Machar, later left for home and was received on arrival at Entebbe International Airport by the Commander of Air Forces, Major General Samuel Turyagyenda, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Okoth Ochola and the Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons, Mr. James Mwanje.
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