Juba, 7 Feb 2024–South Sudan’s government is exploring an alternative to replace Rome’s peace talks mediation after four years of impasses. The government and South Sudan Opposition Alliance [SSOMA] also known as ‘the holdout group’ have been engaging in the peace talks mediated by the Community of Sant’ Egidio in Italy since January 2020.
The holdout group did not sign the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan [ARCSS] in 2018, on the ground that the deal fell short of addressing the root causes of the civil war in the country.
After four years of fruitless peace talks, the government sights Kenya as a potential suitable partner to mediate the talks with the holdout group. This came to light after President Salva Kiir Mayardit requested his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto to take the lead in the mediation process.
President Ruto said that Kenya is making the necessary arrangements to take over and have the process transferred to Nairobi.
“I accepted the request of my brother President Salva Kiir to host the remaining phase of the peace talks that have been going on between the government of South Sudan and the holdout opposition parties,” he said in a statement.
However, some members of holdout groups cast reservations over Kenya’s taking the lead in the mediation processes, with some members not comfortable with Kenya being the site for peace talks, doubting Kenya’s impartiality in South Sudan’s political crisis.
A member of the Real-SPLM, Cirino Hiteng Ofuho said in a statement that while there is no guarantee that Kenya would succeed where Sant’ Egidio had failed, nobody could turn down peace talks.
His leader, Pagan Amum, was also skeptical, noting that the reason the talks were moved to Nairobi was that SSOMA had insisted that the forum address the causes of the conflict, which Juba is uncomfortable with, according to The East Africa.
The Minister of Presidential Affairs Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro affirmed the government’s readiness to engage the holdout group in Kenya for peace talks to be mediated by President William Ruto.
Hope for credible election dim
With months left for the first-ever general elections, the pre-election activities such as civic education, electoral laws, mapping of geographical constituencies, creating enabling civic space, and politically neutral police forces, among others still lag as the ruling party braces for the poll.
Better than never, late last year, President Kiir reconstituted the National Constitutional Review Commission, National Electoral Commission, and the Political Parties Council to prepare the country for the highly anticipated general elections.
On his part, the Chairperson of the National Elections Commission Abednego Akok lamented delays in releasing the budget for elections, appealing to the government to speed up the process to enable his commission to race up with time.
In a meeting with President Salva Kiir Mayardit at the statehouse, Abednego Akok emphasized the importance of expediting releasing the funds for the election to race with a hastening time to escape missing the deadline set in the roadmap.
Pope Francis, through his Envoy Michael Czerny said he is looking forward to seeing peaceful, free, fair, and credible elections in South Sudan.
Pope Francis kissed the feet of South Sudanese leaders in 2019, begging them to stay in peace and not to drag the country back to war. The move compelled the declaration of Rome peace talks mediation which is now falling apart due to lack of willingness to compromise for the sake of lasting peace in South Sudan.
In a meeting with President Kiir on Monday-5 February, Cardinal Michael Czerny said the Vatican is willing to support the democratic transition in South Sudan.
“Our main topic of conversation was election. The Holy Father warmly remembers his visit here a year ago and continues to pray and is deeply concerned for South Sudan. As for that, I am here for the first anniversary and the most important topic is the election which everyone is hoping for and praying for it should be free, fair, well prepared, and well participated,” Czerny said.
“This is so important for South Sudan itself, for its people, and also is very important for South Sudan’s face in the world as a country that is rebuilding through peace. In a world that is full of conflict, South Sudan should be a leader in peace-making. The church is very willing to accompany the electoral process and make its contribution so that indeed the election will be as we all hope,” he added.
Presidential Affairs Minister, Bangasi Joseph Bakasoro said President Kiir reassured the Holy See of his administration’s commitment to conduct free and credible elections this Year.
“The main concern and discussion were around the upcoming general elections which the cardinal who is representing the Pope here accepted to support South Sudan in the upcoming elections and to pray for South Sudan to have a free and fair election.
The second point that he raised with His Excellency the President is the registration of the religious fraternity,” Bakasoro said.
In a bid to spur the process along, Francis was joined on an ecumenical peace mission by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the moderator of the Church of Scotland, the Rt. Rev. Iain Greenshields. The Christian leaders aimed to push Kiir and Machar to recommit themselves to the 2018 deal.
Fragile peace accord swings the balance
The renewed fighting between the SSPDF [South Sudan People’s Defence Forces] and the SPLA-IO [Sudan People’s Liberation Army In-Opposition]—both are peace partners—in Unity State threatens the lifespan of the revitalized peace agreement.
Officials in Unity State reported that the conflict erupted after the convoy of Governor Joseph Monytuil Nguen fell under ambush killing several government soldiers and two senior army officers wounded.
Colonel Lam Gabriel, the spokesperson of the SPLA-IO instead accused the government forces of attacking his forces from two axes, accusing Governor Monytuil of intentionally attempting to overrun the SPLA-IO base in Unity State.
“This was a coordinated attack by two forces from the SSPDF, one came from Mayom commanded by Gen. Tito Biel Wie and then the second was by the governor himself, by the commander of SSPDF’s Division Four who left from Rubkona,” Gabriel said.
Meanwhile, when contacted, SSPDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang confirmed that there was fighting in Unity State but said he is yet to reach the commanders on the ground and get the details.
Diplomatic pressure
The Norwegian Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan Jon Anton Johnson in a statement to the media early this week after meeting the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation James Pitia Morgan in Juba, called on the government to create a suitable political and civic space for the conduct of free and fair elections in 2024.
Other Troika members also echoed the same to push for credible elections in line with international standards, with media being the critical tool to make the public informed of their rights to select leaders of their choice.
