Kibaki urges regional push over Sudan-S Sudan dispute

President Kibaki has urged a regional initiative to resolve the dispute between Sudan and South Sudan.

In a special message to Somalia President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President Kibaki underscored the need for a regional initiative to resolve the re-emergence of the dispute that is threatening to develop into a full conflict.

President Kibaki’s move to urge IGAD member states to work together in ensuring regional peace follows a request made by South Sudan President Salva Kiir for Kenya’s intervention to have a regional summit to discuss the hostilities between Sudan and South Sudan.

President Kibaki has sent similar messages to other IGAD member states including Uganda and Ethiopia.

The message was delivered by Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula.

It was received on behalf of the Somali President by the acting Somali President, who is also the Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament of Somalia Sharrif Hassan Sheikh Adan and the Somali Prime Minister Abdiwel Mohamed Ali.

Mr Adan pledged full support to Kenya’s peace initiatives not only in Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan but also in the whole region.

The meeting also discussed the post-London conference on Somalia where Foreign Minister Wetang'ula urged Somalia to embrace an all inclusive approach that would ensure lasting peace in the troubled Horn of Africa nation.

Mr Wetang'ula was accompanied by the Chairman of the Constitution Implementation Committee (CIOC) Abdikadir Mohamed and Zadok Syongo, a Senior Advisor on Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.