Radio Miraya
2729: President William Ruto addresses the High Level Mediation for South Sudan
- Thank you very much. Your Excellency, my brother, Salva Keir, my date, President of South Sudan. Your Excellency, Achange Chidora, President of the Central Africa Republic. Your Excellency, President Chakra, the President of Malawi. Your Excellency, Nikhanor, Boomba, President of Namibia. Your Excellency, Achange Chilema, Chilema, sorry. President of Zambia. My friend, Russell Lamini, the Prime Minister of Esuo Teni. My neighbor, Hamza Barre, Prime Minister of Somalia, Vice President Guema Obiang from Equatorial Guinea, Vice President Prospa of Burundi, Vice President Slamba Sungwane from Botswana. Your Excellency's ambassadors, representatives of different organizations, ladies and gentlemen. As the first order of business, I wish to pay very special tribute to President Salva Keir, my elite, the President of South Sudan. Who requested me on Kenya? The shevating, the final phase of South Sudan mediation process. And when I received the letter from President Salva Keir, I asked my staff to look for one person who was at the center of their comprehensive peace agreement that finally brought independence to South Sudan. And that was General Sumbego. (audience applauds) General Sumbego was the focal point in all the negotiations that went into South Sudan being an independent state. I was lucky that he was still around retired at home. And when I asked my staff, they said he's probably writing a book about South Sudan. And I said he should hold on because there is some work to be done so that he can go and complete his book. I am very confident that General Sumbego and the team we have assembled, they understand the people of South Sudan. There are many friends across sides in South Sudan. In fact, at one point, we were told in Kenya there were many children in South Sudan named after General Sumbego. And therefore General Sumbego, you have a responsibility as you have said to humanity to spearhead this process. President Salva, this demonstrates your deep humility and singular desire to secure stable peace for your motherland. And while we were attending the conference here, and President Salva Keel walked into the room, and he made a statement to my colleagues here, heads of state, and said, your excellence is I need your help. It was a very, very touching statement. It not only demonstrates humility, it demonstrates a heart of courage and a desire for peace, for one's kind. This gathering marks a pivotal moment in a historic journey. Uniting stakeholders committed to ending conflict and political instability in South Sudan. It represents the culmination of steady progress in mobilizing for peace through dialogue, while also signaling a hopeful step towards effective peacemaking, restoration of tranquility and resumption of harmony enabling South Sudanese to focus on the prosperity of their nation. Listening to both the representative of the opposition and the representative of government and the language of brotherhood therein, gives us hope that there is a chance for us to settle this once and for all. Kenya takes pride in its strong bonds and mutual understanding with the people and nation of South Sudan. These bonds foster solidarity and support facilitating joint pursuit of security and development. We are alive to our obligation, to our brothers and sisters in South Sudan and stand ready to contribute to ending cycles of conflict and instability, allowing this promising nation to achieve the peace and prosperity its people have very long sought and want. This is why we are proud of the two main initiative, the high level mediation of South Sudan, bringing together eight categories of parties and groups. It has made significant progress in defining a mediation framework, developing rules of procedure and setting the agenda for the process. The last one week, a lot has gone into that process. This initiative exemplifies the pan-African policy of African solutions to African challenges, contributing to the silencing of guns in Africa initiative and fostering an environment of transformational development in South Sudan, our region, and possibly the entire continent. To my any means hope is grounded on the resolve that deliver the comprehensive peace agreement more than a decade ago. It is fueled by courage, goodwill, and determination to silence the guns and explore better ways of resolving conflict. Under the main initiative, we have a forum to honor the people of South Sudan and commemorate their sacrifices, struggles, and hopes by supporting their unanimous aspiration to transform their nation's potential into shared prosperity. I appreciate the nations which have pledged to support this mediation initiative and thank them for investing in hope. I also thank the Obsamitions, civil society, and other stakeholders for their concern, commitment, and contribution to this initiative. I commend the role played by the Reconsituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, the Intergovernmental Authority for Development, and our brothers from San Diego. You have done a commendable job. When I came to your office, you agreed to be part of this process because you too have a history with South Sudan. I encourage the revitalized transition, government of national unity, the real SPLM, and the South Sudanese United Front to stay the cause and redouble their commitment to this mediation. The path you have chosen is noble, and what you have accomplished so far under this initiative is admirable. Here is your opportunity to design a future worthy of all of you and all divisions you have. I take this opportunity to welcome all delegates from South Sudan to Kenya, and encourage you to feel at home because indeed it is home. I also wish the parties successful mediation and to our partners I urge you to work with us all the way until we settle this. Thank you everybody for your participation. Before I conclude my remarks, we have in our Middle East friends and leaders who mean well for South Sudan and for our region. Among them, let me request our chair of AU. I know I did not warn you, but because he represents our continent, let me ask Mohammed Faki, Mohammed, our chair of Africa Union Commission to make very brief remarks by way of encouragement to their parties, to this mediation. Mr. Chairman, your excellency. - Thanks.