Sudan PM Visits Juba Amid Political Crisis

JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN - Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok arrived in Juba on Thursday for two days of talks aimed at bolstering peace efforts in South Sudan amid a political crisis that ousted South Sudanese First Vice President Riek Machar as leader of the opposition party.

Officials from Khartoum and Juba are expected to discuss bilateral ties between the two countries and the implementation of the Juba peace deal signed last year between Sudan's transitional government and several armed groups.   Sudanese Foreign Affairs Minister Mariam al-Mahdi, who accompanied Hamdok, told reporters at Juba International Airport that the Sudan leadership is concerned about the slow implementation of the South Sudan peace deal.  "We are observing the very positive development that is taking place, but there is still very observed slowness," al-Mahdi said. "People are very concerned to revitalize and to support further the government of South Sudan to implement the agreement."