Regional assembly speaker urges speedy cessation of hostilities in S. Sudan

JUBA, Feb. 15 — Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly
(EALA) Martin Ngoga said on Tuesday that the region has rallied behind
concerted efforts to end civil turmoil in South Sudan.

“South Sudan is said to be a volatile country, which is entirely not true.
It is a misrepresentation of the young republic,” Ngoga told reporters
after meeting South Sudan President Salva Kiir during a visit meant to pave
the way for preparation of the next phase of its rotational sitting
scheduled for next month in the South Sudanese capital of Juba. EALA was
established in 2001 as a legislative organ of the East African Community
(EAC) with a mandate of legislation, representation and oversight.Each of
the six member states — South Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and
Uganda — contributed nine members to the regional assembly. “The country
might have security challenges, but not as it is purported,” Ngoga said,
referring to South Sudan. He reiterated that the EAC is determined to
strengthen President Kiir’s administration in areas of legislation and
bilateral cooperation. “We want to change that perception with the help of
EALA and other East African Community bodies to reconstruct South Sudan to
be like any other member state,” Ngoga said.

South Sudan’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Moses Hassan said Juba is
ready to host the members of the East Africa Legislative Assembly to
conduct their first session in the capital. “We are happy to host EALA
here in Juba and demonstrate to the region that we are working toward
achieving lasting solution through our neighbors,” Hassan said. South Sudan
was admitted into the East Africa Community as the sixth member state in
2016 after undergoing a lengthy vetting process. – XINHUA