President Salva Kiir was received at State House, Nairobi, in an elaborate ceremony that included a 21-gun salute.
The South Sudan President was received by his host, President Uhuru Kenyatta, at the start of his two-day State Visit.
At the formal welcome ceremonies, the visiting Head of State inspected a guard of honour mounted by a detachment of the Kenya Army. The national anthems of Kenya, South Sudan and that of the East African Community were played by the military band.
The two leaders held one-on-one talks where they are expected to talk about issues of mutual interest before leading their respective national delegations in bilateral talks.
The talks between President Kenyatta and President Kiir will focus on matters of bilateral and multilateral importance including trade and the ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability in South Sudan.
The issue of peace in South Sudan has been of major concern to President Kenyatta, who has been at the forefront in attempts at finding a lasting solution to the instability in the East African country.