AU meetings were 'tough' and 'confrontational,' says Lomuro

Cabinet Affairs Minister Martin Elia Lomuro has described meetings held at the just concluded African Union Heads of State summit in Addis Ababa as ‘tough’ and ‘confrontational.’

Lomuro was part of the team that accompanied President Salva Kiir for the summit.  Speaking to journalists on return at Juba international airport, Lomuro said the President held several side meetings with leaders to brief them on the peace process and developments in the country.

During the summit, the African Union said it is open to imposing sanctions on leaders violating ceasefires in South Sudan, joining a growing chorus of officials who say those prolonging the conflict must be punished.

“We need to act against those who, with impunity, are continuing to massacre their peaceful populations,” the head of the African Union commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, told reporters at the AU Summit on Monday.

The AU meeting comes just days before parties and stakeholders to the peace agreement return to Addis Ababa for the second phase of the IGAD-led High Level Revitalization Forum.  

We bring you Lomuro's statement.