Djibouti (Dawan Africa) – Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, in his role as Acting Chair of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), met with Ambassador Major-General George Owinow on Wednesday, Acting Chair of IGAD’s Reconstituted Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-MEC) for South Sudan, to assess progress in the country’s ongoing peace process.
The discussion focused on the political and security challenges facing South Sudan, which has been under a unity government since 2020 following the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement. Ambassador Owinow highlighted that while the agreement was designed to end more than six years of civil conflict, significant hurdles remain, particularly in security sector reform, governance, and national reconciliation.
The meeting comes amid ongoing concerns over South Sudan’s stability, including early 2025 tensions following the detention of First Vice President Riek Machar, which sparked fears of renewed unrest. President Guelleh and the IGAD delegation reviewed strategies to strengthen implementation of the peace deal and mitigate risks to the unity administration.
Attendees included Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, Diplomatic Adviser to the President Fathia Djama Oudine, and IGAD’s Chief Legal Counsel Stephen Oola. The meeting underscores Djibouti’s active role in supporting regional peace efforts and reinforcing IGAD’s commitment to stabilizing South Sudan.
