[From left to right] Dr Riek Machar, President Yoweri Museveni, President Omar Al Bashir, President Salva Kiir, during a face-to-face meeting in Khartoum on June 24 2018 -Photo credit: Unknown

The President of Uganda says the discussions that commenced between President Kiir and Dr. Riak Machar in Khartoum had a good starting point to restore political normalcy in the country.

On Monday, the second round of a face-to-face discussion between President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar began under the mediation of the Sudanese President, Omar Hassan Al-Bashir.

This came after the IGAD Heads of State mandated Sudan to engage the two leaders in resolving the outstanding issues on governance and security arrangements.

The meeting was to also deliberate on measures proposed in the revised Bridging Proposal of the IGAD Council of Ministers, and ways to rehabilitate the South Sudanese economy through bilateral cooperation with Sudan.

President Museveni attended the first day of the summit yesterday (Monday) in Khartoum.

Photos widely circulated online shows Presidents Museveni, Bashir, Kiir, and Machar holding hands and engaging in closed-door sessions.

In a message shared on his tweeter account, Museveni described the handshake between President Salva Kiir and Dr. Riek Machar as a good gesture that he says set into motion the fruitful meeting held on Monday.

“It was a good gesture that both His Excellency Salva Kiir and Dr Riek Machar shook hands, setting into motion the fruitful meeting we had today,” reads the tweet.

He commended both leaders for showing up for the meeting for the benefit of all South Sudanese.

“I also salute Dr Machar for honoring this peace-making mission for the benefit of all people in his country and His Excellency Salva Kiir for being present too,” he said.

Museveni appealed to key political players in South Sudan to also engage in constructive deliberations as they negotiate for peace and unity of the country.

In his subsequent Twitter messages, Museveni pledged full support and solidarity to ensure that South Sudan is back on the track of economic and social development.

“I used to see South Sudan developing but later it went into a standstill because of disunity. Today, we have had discussions on matters of peace in South Sudan and we have a good starting point to restore political normalcy,” he concluded.

Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta will facilitate the third round of discussion in Nairobi to build on the outcome of the Khartoum initiative.

A Final report of the two meetings will then be submitted to the Ordinary Session of the IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government for further consideration.