H.E. Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs/OPCS

NAIROBI, (Eye Radio) – Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign & Diaspora Affairs, has revealed that the South Sudan government said it was “not ready” to host the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Foreign Ministers’ meeting scheduled in Juba to engage in a high-level discussion on the country’s current political situation.

Musalia Mudavadi disclosed the development on April 8, during the Open Government Partnership Forum in Nairobi.

The Kenyan foreign minister was initially assigned to join other IGAD diplomats to engage with Juba over ongoing political unrest.

However, Mudavadi said he was informed that the South Sudanese government had decided it was not ready to receive the ministers, and the session was postponed to a later date.

Mudavadi described the political situation in South Sudan as a significant regional challenge that urgently requires serious attention and behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts.

“We have a new challenge in South Sudan, it has been there before, but it is a challenge that we now must also put a spotlight on,” he told the gathering.

“The situation remains as you know. I think one of the vice presidents is being held in a manner that refrains him from undertaking certain activities.”

“We were destined as ministers of foreign affairs earlier to also go there to have a conversation as IGAD ministers, but the government of South Sudan at the 11th hour sent a message that they were not ready to receive the ministers, so that session was deferred for a later date.”

When contacted by Eye Radio, the Deputy Spokesperson of South Sudan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation declined to immediately comment and said a response would only be provided after an official request.

Regional and international organizations have been actively working to de-escalate the political unrest in South Sudan, fearing that it could undermine the 2018 peace agreement.

Recently, Kenya appointed former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as a special envoy to assess the situation and engage with Juba in efforts to resolve the conflict.

But Odinga’s mission faced challenges, including accusations that he misrepresented diplomatic norms and principles, after he made a statement that Juba had directed him to consult with the Ugandan president, after denying him access to meet with First Vice President Riek Machar, who is under house arrest.