The U.S. envoy to Sudan and South Sudan departed Tuesday for Juba to attend high-level meetings with government officials, members of civil society, and representatives of international organization working in South Sudan, the State Department said. The trip by Ambassador Princeton Lyman is at a “crucial" time in the delayed implementation of the late-September agreements signed by Sudan and South Sudan on the creation of a safe demilitarized border zone and the resumption of oil production between the two countries, the department said in a statement. “The Sudanese and South Sudanese people deserve swift and complete implementation of these agreements," and Lyman will engage South Sudan on the resolution of outstanding issues including the disputed area of Abyei, the department said. The U.S. envoy also will reiterate Washington's commitment to supporting South Sudan's economic development and growth as a democracy that respects human rights and the rule of law, the statement said. After his visit to South Sudan, Lyman is scheduled to proceed to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to attend a meeting on Sudanese issues being convened by the African Union implementation panel chairman, Thabo Mbeki, the department said.
