Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma has announced that Cyril Ramaphosa has been appointed as South Africa’s Special Envoy to Sri Lanka and South Sudan.
The appointment of the ANC’s Deputy President comes at the request of Sri Lanka and South Sudan for assistance in bringing about peace and reconciliation in those parts.
“His expertise in conflict resolution and negotiations, as well as our country’s experience in this regard, will greatly assist the two countries to resolve their problems,” said the President during his sixth State of the Nation Address on Thursday.
The President said progress was being made in negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan on outstanding issues following the secession.
This week has seen a new round of peace talks to bring about an all-inclusive and political agreement between the warring parties in South Sudan.
Thousands of people are believed to have been killed and some 870 000 others have fled their homes, 145 000 of them to neighbouring countries and 75 000 to United Nations bases within the country, since fighting broke out in December last year between the forces of President Salva Kiir and former deputy president Riek Machar
He said South Africa would continue to support peacemaking and conflict resolution. – SAnews.gov.za
