The South Sudan government has offered to put an end to the ongoing Sudan crisis by acting as a mediator between the ruling military council and the opposition and protest alliance.
Notably, Sudan also played a vital role in mediating South Sudanese peace talks with the rebel groups last year. The talks led to the signing of an agreement to revitalize an earlier peace accord.
According to VOA News, a minister in President Salva Kiir’s office said the president is concerned about Sudan’s current situation and is urging the two sides to form a transitional government as soon as possible.
A four-person delegation led by President Kiir’s security adviser, Tut Galuak, wrapped a two-day visit to Khartoum on Friday.
South Sudan presidential minister Mayiik Deng, who was part of the delegation, said the delegation delivered a message of peace to Sudan’s leaders and urged them to find out a way to end the turmoil between the Transitional Military Council and the opposition parties.
Deng said the delegation held a series of meetings with military and opposition leaders in Khartoum and told them that the South Sudanese officials are uniquely qualified to mediate a peaceful resolution in Sudan.
“We are the closest people to Sudan, more than anybody, more than the Ethiopians,” Deng told VOA. “We understand their society, we know their houses, we know where they live. We talk the same language, we don’t need translators and we understand the makeup of the Sudanese society. So we can be able to offer them a practical solution that can save them.”
Deng said Kiir will likely host talks between the Sudanese military and opposition in Juba in the coming days.
Talks between the military and the opposition alliance were stalled after more than 100 civilians were killed on June 3 when security forces forcibly stormed a months-long sit-in by protesters who were demanding a return to civilian rule.
