Ethiopian defense minister visits Juba to learn about peace deadlock

According to a statement published by the office of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the Ethiopian minister of defense came in South Sudan’s capital Juba on Friday to receive “first-hand information” on the problems confronting the execution of the renewed peace deal.
“The Ethiopian Minister of Defense and Special Envoy to South Sudan, Dr. Abraham Belay, made a courtesy call to First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon to address problems connected to the revived peace accord,” FVP Machar’s office said.
According to the visiting Ethiopian senior government official, he was “directed by Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed to acquire first-hand information on the problems confronting the renewed peace agreement’s implementation and the progress achieved so far.”
The minister reaffirmed Ethiopia’s government’s “willingness to continue supporting the execution of the agreement and working hand in hand with the South Sudan administration to deepen bilateral relations between Juba and Addis Ababa.”