President William Ruto spoke with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the phone on Tuesday evening to discuss the tense political situation in the Eastern Africa region.
According to information from the US Bureau of African Affairs, the two leaders held talks on regional security, focusing on developments in Somalia and South Sudan, which have, in recent weeks, been in political turmoil.
The turmoil in the two countries has threatened to spill over into other neighbouring nations as the situation continues to intensify.
During the talks, Rubio hailed Ruto for his leadership efforts as the Chairperson of the East African Community (EAC) in championing a return to normalcy through dialogue with the conflicting parties.
Further, during the call, they discussed the need to de-escalate tensions and promote peace and security in the Horn of Africa.
"Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Kenyan President William Ruto to thank him for Kenya’s leadership on regional peace and security and discuss recent developments in Somalia and South Sudan," a statement from the US Bureau of African Affairs read in part.
"They also discussed the need to end ongoing conflicts in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan."
The fallout between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Vice President Riek Machar has raised fears of a renewed civil war, with deepening divisions within the military ranks.
Uganda has also been drawn into the turmoil after deploying its forces in South Sudan to protect its interests in the youngest nation.
Machar, in a March 23 letter to the UN, African Union, and regional bloc IGAD, seen by Kenyans.co.ke and authenticated through Machar’s team by Reuters, accused Uganda of breaching a 2018 peace deal by deploying armoured and air units.
The United Nations has sounded the alarm over the escalating crisis, citing indiscriminate attacks on civilians, mass displacement, and rising ethnic tensions.
Briefing journalists at UN Headquarters in New York via video link from Juba, UN envoy Nicholas Haysom urged all parties to step back from the brink and commit to peace before the country descends into another devastating conflict.
"A conflict would erase all the hard-won gains made since the 2018 peace deal was signed. It would devastate not only South Sudan but the entire region, which simply cannot afford another war," Haysom warned.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the emergence of M23 has threatened political stability in the country, leading to a humanitarian crisis as the war continues to ravage.
In neighbouring Somalia, the Al-Shabaab insurgents appear to be regaining ground following attacks on Kenyan borders and an assault on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on March 18.
Further, regional stability worsened on Tuesday after Burundi accused Rwanda of plotting an attack on its soil.
