Royal Activities
Thursday 2 February 2017

Full Text of Joint Statement Following HM the King's Official Visit to South Sudan

Full Text of Joint Statement Following HM the King's Official Visit to South Sudan

This is the full text of the joint statement issued at the end of the official visit of HM King Mohammed VI to the Republic of South Sudan on February 1-2.
Full Text of Joint Statement Following HM the King's Official Visit to South Sudan
02 February 2017

1- At the invitation of His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco paid an official visit to Juba, on February 1-2, 2017. His Majesty King Mohammed VI was accompanied by a high level delegation.

2- The two-day visit symbolizes the commitment of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and H.E. General Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Republic of South Sudan on the values of Pan-Africanism, solidarity and fraternity, and reflects the strong willingness of Morocco to contribute to the consolidation of the stability and peace-building process in South Sudan.

3- During their discussions, His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit and His Majesty King Mohammed VI lauded the bonds of friendship between the two countries, and expressed their commitment to the consolidation of strong bilateral relations between Morocco and South Sudan.

4- The Two Heads of State identified a number of areas of providing the anticipated momentum to the progress of the relations between the two countries, while stating their determination to develop a mutually advantageous and wealth generating South-south cooperation, including through triangular mechanism for the mobilization of international development funds and the capitalized expertise necessary for the generation of sustainable development and uplift of the local population as South Sudan strives to overcome challenges.

5- The two Heads of State co-chaired the signing ceremony of bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU) in vital fields. His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Salva Kiir Mayardit were pleased to witness the signing of the Agreement related to the construction of the new city at Ramciel. The rest of the agreements and memorandum of understanding (MoU) concern Agriculture, Energy, Mining and Hydrocarbons, Industry, Investment, Tax Avoidance, Vocational Training and Economic Partnership between the business communities. These agreements open up new prospects for cooperation between the two countries in the aforementioned fields.

6- In this respect, His Majesty the King has assured H.E. President Salva Kiir Mayardit for Morocco’s readiness to share its experience with South Sudan in the areas of security, economic and social development with a view of contributing to the new nation’s stability and development.

7- His Majesty King Mohammed VI praised the recent call by His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit for a national dialogue, calling it a bold move for achieving African Union goal of silencing the gun by 2020 and creating a stable, developed and prosperous South Sudan.

8- During this visit, His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Salva Kiir Mayardit, co-chaired the inauguration and the launching ceremonies of several human development projects undertaken in South Sudan by Morocco, which concretely reflect Morocco's solidarity with the South Sudan people. In this regard, the two Heads of State officially launched the medical-surgical field hospital deployed in Juba by the Royal Armed Forces to deliver medical services to the population.

9- The two Heads of State also visited the premises of storage for the humanitarian assistance donated by the kingdom of Morocco. On this occasion, His Majesty King Mohammed VI distributed a sample of the donated items to a number of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

10- In addition, during the visit of the Head of State to Juba Teaching Hospital, His Majesty the King handed over a donation, of medical equipment generously donated by the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sustainable Development.

11- His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit commended the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI for strengthening inter-African and South-South cooperation, as well as His Majesty's efforts for the preservation of peace, stability and for the promotion of the continent's prosperity.      

12- While considering that the issue of Sahara is different in its genesis, legal and political background from that of South Sudan, HE President Salva Kiir Mayardit acknowledges the efforts of the United Nations to reach a political solution to the regional dispute over the Sahara. The President welcomes the serious and credible efforts of Morocco.

13- His Excellency President Salva Kiir Maayardit congratulated His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the reintegration of Morocco within the African Union and hailed the support of the overwhelming majority of African countries to Morocco. In this vein, His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit underlined Morocco's role and its effective contribution for the development, the unity and the stability of the continent.

14- The two Heads of State highlighted the important role of the relevant African sub-Saharan regional organizations, namely the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and the East African Community (EAC), notably in the implementation of strategies for sustainable development in the East African region.

15- The two Heads of State commended the integration process initiated by these two sub-regional groupings. In this connection, His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit hailed Morocco's huge potential to contribute to the development and the stability of East Africa as a whole, and he called for strengthening of relations between Morocco and the East African region. 

16- His Majesty King Mohammed VI expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to His Majesty as well as to His delegation during their stay in the Republic of South Sudan.

17- His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit expressed the gratitude of the government and the people of South Sudan to His Majesty King Mohammed VI and the people of Morocco for the royal visit and the generous medical and humanitarian donations, with special gratitude to the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sustainable Development.

18 - At the end of His visit, His Majesty King Mohammed VI extended an invitation to His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit to pay an official visit to the kingdom of Morocco. The President accepted with pleasure the invitation, for which dates will be decided through diplomatic channels.

MAP 02 February 2017