SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY HON. UHURU KENYATTA, C.G.H.

, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA OCCASION: VENUE: DATE: 23RD EXTRA-ORDINARY SUMMIT OF IGAD HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT STATE HOUSE, NAIROBI 27TH DECEMBER, 20 3

Your Excellency Ato Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and hairperson of !"AD,

Excellencies Heads of #tate and "o$ernment, %he Executi$e #ecretary of !"AD, Honourable Ministers, Ambassadors and High ommissioners, Distinguished &adies and "entlemen, Allo' me to 'elcome your Excellencies to (airobi for this Extra)*rdinary #ummit of !"AD to deliberate on the crisis in the Republic of #outh #udan+ %his meeting aims to present our recent efforts to ensure peace and stability return to #outh #udan+ A 'ee, ago, the !"AD ouncil of Ministers $isited -uba on an assessment mission hairman, His Excellency Ato

to meet 'ith the go$ernment of #outh #udan and get to a better understanding of ho' $iolent conflict had bro,en out+ Yesterday, our Hailemariam Desalegn, and ! $isited -uba+ .e held positi$e tal,s 'ith H+E+

President #al$a /iir and other go$ernment and party leaders+ %hese efforts reflect the importance of #outh #udan to the stability of this region and our mutual desire to achie$e sustained peace and prosperity+ ! ha$e e$ery expectation that this meeting 'ill agree concrete measures that 'ill enable #outh #udan to return to its path of peace and de$elopment+

Excellencies, &adies and "entlemen, Eight years ago, 'e met here in (airobi to 'itness the signing of the historic #udan omprehensi$e Peace Agreement that ended one of Africa0s longest +P+A+, 'hich 'as negotiated under the auspices of !"AD, not only conflicts+ %he

mar,ed the beginning of a ne' and brighter future for #udan, but it also signalled a ne' era for Africa 'here African solutions could be applied to African problems through dialogue+ .e are again con$ening this #ummit after t'o years of the establishment of the young nation of the Republic of #outh #udan to diagnose and resol$e the unfolding crisis using the African medicine of dialogue and negotiated settlement of the conflict+ #outh #udan is no' at a critical phase+ A political problem 'ithin the ruling party #P&M, 'hich 'as also the $ehicle of liberation, has turned into a $iolent confrontation that ris,s ta,ing on a dire ethnic direction+ Many innocent #outh #udan ci$ilians ha$e been ,illed, others displaced and their property destroyed+ /enyans and other !"AD citi1ens in #outh #udan, 'ho 'ent see,ing opportunity and to contribute to building a nation, ha$e also suffered grie$ously+ %he safety of all these people is foremost in my mind+ .hate$er political

problems there are, our people must not be made to suffer for them+ ! ha$e directed that e$ery effort be made by my go$ernment, alongside the #outh #udanese leadership, our neighbours, and members of the !nternational ommunity, to ensure the safety of /enyans and other ci$ilians caught in this unfortunate $iolence+ %he people of #outh #udan and this region are tired of 'ar+ %hey no' only 'ant 'ars to be fought against po$erty, disease and ignorance+ %he present crisis if

not contained 'ill produce millions of internally displaced persons and refugees and set bac, this region immeasurably+ An internal military solution in a situation of high militari1ation and the threat of ethnic splits is highly unli,ely to succeed 'ithout deeply rupturing the social and political bonds among the people+ .e ha$e no time+ !f the present $iolence continues and the $iolence on the

ground leads to atrocities against ci$ilians, it 'ill create global dynamics that ma,e it much more difficult for #outh #udan and the region to reach a resolution+ !t is also an unacceptable threat to regional peace and security+ therefore be an immediate cessation of $iolence+ Excellencies, &adies and "entlemen, .e need to be practical and coordinated2 ! ha$e a fe' proposals to this effect+ ! call upon our #outh #udanese brothers and sisters to immediately underta,e the follo'ing measures3 A cessation of hostilities by all parties+ %he detainees are part of #outh #udan0s leadership and as such are part of the solution+ #outh #udan0s legal system must process them as it should, 'hile they are treated humanely and 4uic,ly enabled to be an integral part of the dialogue that 'ill sol$e the underlying political problems that ha$e brought us to this unfortunate crisis+ .e loo, for'ard to a transparent and inclusi$e constitutional re$ie' and de$elopment process that entrenches a democratic #outh #udan+ %he "o$ernment of #outh #udan and other armed groups must ensure the safety of #outh #udanese ci$ilians and those from !"AD countries+ E$acuation of !"AD citi1ens must be assured through guarantees that airports and roads 'ill be secured 4uic,ly and comprehensi$ely+ &iaise 'ith !"AD en$oys and the ouncil of Ministers to craft a process of %here must

dialogue and mediation that leads to agreed political and technical reforms that 'ill ensure no return to this crisis+

%he African 5nion, the broader !nternational

ommunity and the 5nited (ations

ha$e an important part to play+ %hey should act immediately to3 Ensure that humanitarian help is immediately deli$ered to the displaced people and foreign refugees in 5( camps+ #upport the !"AD process and position that benefits from long experience and the fact that 'e are part of the region+ "enerously pledge to support the constitutional and other political reforms that 'ill emerge from the dialogue+ Ensure that the African 5nion and other African countries see, to contribute ideas and support to the process of ensuring that outcomes of the dialogue bet'een the leadership of #outh #udan is informed by the experiences of Africa+ For us !"AD members, our role 'ill be extremely critical and must be coordinated, practical and determined+ ! propose3 %hat 'e appoint t'o experienced en$oys 'ho ha$e the faith of the people and leadership of #outh #udan+ ! ha$e appointed "eneral &a1aro #umbeiy'o the /enya #pecial En$oy for #outh #udan and propose him to be part of this team+ For the ouncil of Ministers to continue 'or,ing 'ith the "o$ernment of %he ouncil should ,eep this #ummit

#outh #udan 'hile ma,ing contact 'ith Dr+ Rie, Machar and other leaders critical to bringing about peace+ closely appraised of de$elopments particularly in the maintenance of the peace on the ground+ For !"AD countries 'ith citi1ens in #outh #udan, 'ho 'ant to lea$e for humanitarian reasons, to coordinate their e$acuation and monitor their safety+ For all Heads of #tate and "o$ernment here to regard the safety of our citi1ens as a top priority such that any further endangerment to them should be responded to comprehensi$ely+ %hese steps if underta,en 'ill allo' the people of #outh #udan and this region to

start 6789 in peace so that 'e can continue the 'or, of de$elopment that 'e ha$e been charged 'ith as leaders+ Excellencies, &adies and "entlemen, %he Republic of #outh #udan has a go$ernment+ .e ha$e a $ery small 'indo' of opportunity to secure peace, 'hich 'e urge all sta,eholders to sei1e, including Ria, Machar+ &et it be ,no'n that 'e in !"AD 'ill not accept the unconstitutional o$erthro' of a duly and democratically elected go$ernment in #outh #udan+ :iolence has ne$er pro$ided optimum solutions+ :iolence begets more $iolence+ .e 'ill also not allo' the continued massacre of ci$ilians and the 'anton destruction of property+ Excellencies, &adies and "entlemen, Many of you 'ere in #outh Africa earlier this month for the burial of the "reat (elson Mandela+ As he 'as s'orn in as President of a free #outh Africa, he said, ;*ut of the experience of an extraordinary disaster that lasted too long must be born a society of 'hich all humanity 'ill be proud+< .e fully accept our late icon0s 'isdom in understanding that great ad$ersity can only be reasonably borne 'here there is a determination to forge societies and communities that are positi$ely transformed+ .e ,no' the suffering of the people of #outh #udan in decades past+ %he suffering can only ha$e been 'orth it if today a nation 'hich they, and us in the region and in the 'orld, can be proud of is borne out of the sacrifices of the struggle for the liberation of #outh #udan+ %his present crisis must end so that this promise is not betrayed, and all #outh #udanese leaders must hold themsel$es accountable for deli$ering 'hat their people so desperately desire3 a nation able to resol$e its political differences

peacefully and that allo's its people a chance to lead decent, safe li$es+ Dear Friends, Finally, let me once again than, you $ery much indeed for a$ailing yoursel$es for this important meeting+ ! am optimistic that our efforts 'ill bear fruit+ ! 'ish all a peaceful and prosperous ne' year+ %han, You And "od =less You All+