Kiir wants incoming US administration to lift sanctions, improve relations

JUBA – South Sudan presidency is asking the incoming United States administration to lift sanctions and improve relations stained since the outbreak of the conflict in December 2013, according to a presidential aide.

This week, US elections ended with the victory of former vice-president Joe Biden, becoming the first challenger to defeat an incumbent first-term president in nearly 30 years.

In an interview with the Juba-based Eye Radio on Sunday, Ateny Wek Ateny, President Kiir’s Press Secretary, congratulated the US President-Elect.

“We congratulate Joe Biden and his vice president-elect, Kamala Harris,” Ateny said.

Ateny said the world’s youngest country is looking forward to improving its relations with the world super power, saying it expects the incoming president to lift sanctions imposed over the deadly civil war which is now being ended as part of the revitalized peace agreement.

“We are looking forward to working with them because the United States is a super nation and its politics affects other countries in one way or the other. So we are looking forward to strengthening our relations with the United States so that we continue to enjoy better relationships and work for the betterment of this country South Sudan,” he said.

“We are looking forward to the democrats coming now to power to lift the arms embargo because South Sudan is now seriously engaged in the peace process,” he added.

He said the incoming ruling party, teh Democratic party “will understand this because this is a country they midwifed and therefore they cannot work for the downfall of the country they midwifed.”