South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Saturday arrived in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, for the 30th African Union Summit.
Kiir is expected to join other African leaders for the Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU.
South Sudan’s situation is expected to take center stage at the Summit, as leaders seek ways to end the violence that has dogged the country since December 2013.
According to a statement by the South Sudanese presidency, Kiir will hold sideline meetings on his country’s peace process, revitalization of the 2015 peace agreement and bilateral relations, and there after join other heads of state in a series of meetings whose focus will be on the fight against corruption.
South Sudan has been ranked as the biggest refugee crisis in Africa, owing to the violence that has displaced about six million people – about half of the country’s population.
The war was sparked by a rivalry between Kiir and his deputy in 2013 Riek Machar. Kiir accused the latter of plotting a coup against his rule, but Machar denied the allegations. He however went on to mobilize a rebel force to fight the government.
The meeting of the Heads of State will take place from January 28-29.
Other Heads of State that have already arrived in Addis Ababa include Muhammadu Buhari (Nigeria), Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Jacob Zuma (South Africa), Hage Geingob (Namibia), Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (Egypt), Mohamed Abdulahi (Somalia) and Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe).
