South Sudan is closer to becoming a full member of the mutual peace and security framework of the Northern Corridor Infrastructure Projects (NCIP) initiative formed by Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda in 2013 to hasten development in a wide range of areas.

This was pointed out by Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba, the Chief of Defence Staff, on Friday at the end of a three-day joint session of experts who met in Kigali to, among others; consider accession procedures for the mutual defence, peace and security pacts of countries in the initiative.

The 12th NCIP Heads of State Summit held in Kigali last December directed that Rwanda convenes a joint meeting of foreign affairs, defence and peace and security dockets before January 16, 2016, to consider: accession procedures for the mutual defence and mutual peace and security pacts; a comprehensive conflict and dispute resolution mechanism; and a mechanism coordinating foreign affairs, defence and peace and security.

The experts’ meeting will later brief a joint senior officials meeting bringing together ambassadors and permanent secretaries from foreign affairs, chiefs of defence staff from defence forces and security chiefs from security institutions under the peace and security cluster of NCIP partner states.

Gen. Nyamvumba said the experts’ meeting made work easy as they look forward to deliberate the drafts produced by the experts, and then recommend them to the joint meeting of ministers that will take place at the sidelines of NCIP Summit early this year in Kampala, Uganda.

Paving way for South Sudan’s active role

As the latest meeting considered previous directives of the heads of state, Gen. Nyamvumba said, there were two important developments worth noting.

First was the ratification of the mutual defence, peace and security pacts by Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda; and second was the development that Rwanda deposited and registered the two pacts and other supporting documents, with the African Union and the United Nations.

"This makes the mutual defence and mutual peace and security pacts operational, and ready to be invoked in enforcement of our collective defense and security”. Nyamvumba said.

"The above development paves the way for the Republic of South Sudan, which has been actively participating in our meetings, to accede to the two pacts as a partner state with equal rights. We look forward to welcoming our brothers from South Sudan, and any other state that will want to join us in ensuring sustainable peace and development to our region”.

The next NCIP Summit is set to be held in Kampala, most likely at a date after the presidential elections in Uganda and, is likely to decide on South Sudan’s full membership.

In Kigali, the South Sudan leader of delegation, Maj. Gen. Marial Nuor Jok, was emphatic when noting that his country has been in turmoil for the past two years but has now achieved peace, with all opposition parties.

On December 29, last year, the first group of rebel elements joined the government in Juba.

"It is time for us to be recognized now as full members so that we meet our obligations. That’s our position now. We should be among you. It’s time we are fully recognized,” the South Sudan official told the meeting yesterday.

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