Kenyan
President William Ruto arrived in Juba on Wednesday on an official visit to
enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.
This visit
follows President Salva Kiir's recent trip to Nairobi on August 27, 2024, where
he attended the launch of Kenya's African Union Commission candidacy.
“During that
visit, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to shared growth, regional
cooperation, and sustainable development, “according to a press release
statement seen by the Radio Community.
The two heads
of state will also discuss the Tumaini Initiative, which is a crucial peace
process.
The Tumaini
Initiative, a peace process that brought together South Sudan's holdout groups
and the government to forge a path toward peace, launched in May in Nairobi,
Kenya. "Tumaini" translates to "hope" in Swahili.
Edmund
Yakani, executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress
Organization, says the resumption of the Tumaini initiative under the Kenyan
mediation is a strategic political process for gaining stability in the country
by including the political parties non-signatory to the R-ARCSS with the focus
of creating a conducive environment for the conduct of the elections in
December 2026.
He
appreciates Ruto for his strong brotherhood with the people and the government
of South Sudan, which has contributed to the realization of a genuine political
transitional process.
