Uganda president in talks with South Sudanese leaders in bid to avoid civil war

There are fears of more conflict in South Sudan. File picture: AP

Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni is expected to meet South Sudanese officials on the second day of his trip to the capital, Juba, amid UN concerns over a renewed civil war after the main opposition leader was put under house arrest.

Mr Museveni, who is among the guarantors of a 2018 peace agreement that ended a five-year civil war, held closed-door discussions with president Salva Kiir on Thursday.

South Sudanese foreign minister Mohammed Abdallah Goc said the country’s leadership had assured Mr Museveni of its commitment to implement the peace agreement.

South Sudan’s political landscape remains fragile and recent violence between government troops and armed groups allied to the opposition have escalated tension.

Last month, Uganda deployed troops to South Sudan to support the government, but it was criticised by South Sudan’s main opposition party SPLM-IO, whose leader Riek Machar is under house arrest on charges of incitement.

In early March, the armed group loyal to Machar attacked a UN helicopter that was on a mission to evacuate government troops from the unsettled northern Upper Nile State.

Western countries including Germany and Norway have temporarily closed their embassies in Juba while the US and the UK have reduced embassy staff.