Diplomats from regional countries and major donor nations expressed grave concerns about South Sudan’s peace process during a meeting on Tuesday and called for urgent action by the country’s leaders.
In a joint statement supported by the embassies of Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, the Netherlands, Sudan, Uganda, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union delegation, the ambassadors stressed the need for inclusive dialogue to advance peace.
The statement specifically cited the roles of President Salva Kiir and suspended First Vice President Riek Machar in inclusive dialogue and the peace process.
The joint statement comes amid renewed clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) in parts of the country, as the implementation of the 2018 peace deal that ended a five-year civil war has stalled.
SPLM/A-IO leader Riek Machar, a key signatory to the agreement, has been detained since March 2025 and is facing treason charges in a special court in Juba over his alleged role in violence in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, in March last year.