Japanese government has vowed to continue supporting the peace implementation process in South Sudan in the wake of the recent agreement by the former warring parties extending the pre-transitional period for another six months before forming the much-awaited transitional unity government by November.
Taro Kono, Japanese foreign minister said on his maiden visit to Juba on Saturday after meeting South Sudanese President Salva Kiir that Tokyo will continue to support the ongoing peace process in the youngest nation which has suffered more than five years of conflict since December 2013.
Japan in March donated 205 million pounds (3.2 million U.S. dollars) to the regional body Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which mediated the peace deal signed in September 2018 in Ethiopia between Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar, the leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-in opposition (SPLM/A-IO).
Kono also invited President Kiir to attend the upcoming Tokyo International Cooperation on African Development (TICAD) meeting in August which aims to boost trade and bilateral cooperation between Japan and African countries.
South Sudanese foreign minister Nhial Deng Nhial hailed Japanese aid to South Sudan and the role Japan is playing in complementing peace implementation efforts.
