The former President of Mali Alpha Oumar Konaré has been appointed as the AU High Representative for South Sudan.

In a statement, the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, says the appointment of Mr Konare aims at ‘further strengthening the AU’s contribution towards ending the conflict in South Sudan and the untold suffering inflicted upon the civilian population’.

“It is also in the same spirit that the Commission is working towards the early operationalization of the AU High-Level ad hoc Committee in order to enhance Africa’s support to the mediation efforts of the IGAD,” she said.

She said Mr Konare will maintain close contact with the South Sudanese parties and other stakeholders to facilitate a collective and coordinated solution to the crisis.

Konaré was President of Mali from 1992 to 2002, Chairman of the AU Commission from 2003 to 2007 and Chairman of the AU High Level Panel for Egypt between 2013 and 2014.